


Fighting is our form of Flirting

by InsomniacAndBi



Series: Royalty and Flirting [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Adopted Harry Potter, Alternate Universe - No Voldemort, Beauxbatons, Beauxbatons Hermione Granger, Bisexual Hermione Granger, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Everybody is the same age, F/F, Fleur can't process her emotions, Hermione is a hundred percent done, Hermione isn't fully human, Lesbian Fleur Delacour, Modern Royalty, Princess Fleur Delacour, Slow Burn, Veela Thrall, veela culture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:40:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 64,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27557752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsomniacAndBi/pseuds/InsomniacAndBi
Summary: After Hermione witnesses her sort-of-girlfriend/sort-of-best-friend kissing somebody else, she immediately applies for a transfer away from Hogwarts. She thinks that she's lucky to get accepted into Beauxbatons only to find out that her new roommate is a total princess...as in, like an actual princess...of FranceORA fleurmione Her Royal Highness inspired by the book by Rachel Hawkins
Relationships: Fleur Delacour/Hermione Granger, Past Hermione Granger/Padma Patil
Series: Royalty and Flirting [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2104755
Comments: 445
Kudos: 1715





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I changed around everybody's ages so now they are all the same age and they are all about to begin their sixth year

Hermione supposed that the best part of the Summer wasn't the heat (which wasn't even a thing considering that she lived in London) or the break from school (Hermione always found that she got horribly bored without work to do). No, the best part of Summer was this.

"This has a Nundu on it."

Hermione turned her head to the side and smiled at what she saw. Her sort-of-girlfriend/ sort-of-best-friend, Padma Patil, was grinning at her - shaking the letter in her hand tauntingly. The pair of them had been lying in a tent in Hermione's garden for nearly four hours now. The sun had long set and the only light was from the lamp that Hermione had set up at the entrance of the tent.

Padma and Hermione had known each other since they were four. Wizarding Law around the globe had changed in the last fifty years or so and now made it mandatory for the Ministries to contact Muggleborns before they started primary school. As such, Hermione had been placed into a Magical primary school where she had met her best friends.

She plucked the letter out of Padma's hands and stuck her finger out childishly.

"Now you see why I wanted to go," She said as she slid the letter back into the envelope," Any school that has a Nundu on its official correspondence is good enough for me."

"Obviously," Padma replied fondly, leaning back into her sleeping bag and pulling Hermione down with her.

They hadn't had a campout since their last year in primary school but, for once, it was warm and both girls were feeling particularly lazy. Ergo, they set up a tent in Hermione's garden and were planning to sleep in it until Padma had to go home tomorrow morning.

Propping herself up on her elbow again, Padma stared down at Hermione - leaning forward to press a kiss against her lips. "And you got in!"

Nodding and reciprocating the grin, Hermione allowed her eyes to flicker to the envelope that she had stashed in her backpack. She had reread it many times since it had arrived a few weeks ago via owl. She had applied on a whim, just to see if the school would accept her. Beauxbatons Academy of Magic was one of the only magical schools in the entire world that required you to pay to attend. France had four magic schools - Beauxbatons, two others, which were both free to attend, and a fourth school that was private but was a lot less expensive than Beauxbatons. However, Beauxbatons had some of the best NEWT results in the whole world and was famous for accepting French Wizarding Nobility.

The acceptance letter had been sitting in Hermione's backpack for a while now. She hadn't even told her father about her application and wasn't going to tell Padma about it either. It was just her luck though, that the girl went rummaging through her back in the hopes of finding some Muggle lip balm that Hermione knew she loved.

"So why aren't you going?" Padma asked, dipping down for another kiss," You've been talking about this school since fourth year."

Hermione shrugged.

The tent flap flew open and carried in the light breeze of the outside world - freshly cut grass and the flowers that Hermione's step-mother liked to grow.

"What, so now that you've gotten in, you're not going to go?" Padma pressed, a frown on her face as she mulled it over in her mind.

Hermione shrugged again before sighing, rolling over onto her side so that she could face her girlfriend/best friend. "It's super expensive," She said - it was the truth after all," So I'd have to apply for a loan at Gringotts and you knew that the goblins would con me out of money and, well, you know."

"No, I don't know."

"It's in a different country, Pads."

Also true...but that hadn't stopped Hermione from dreaming about the rolling hills and the nice, warm French weather instead of the cold, wet weather in Scotland, all throughout last year. But, then again, she realised as she glanced at Padma again, things had been different last year.

"You're not turning it down because of me, right?" Padma asked as she scooted closer. The last time that they had done this was the year before they started Hogwarts together. Padma still had the same, ratty, old sleeping bag. A lot of things had changed since then.

This thing...between the pair of them had only started this Summer and Hermione still wasn't used to it - her heart thumping in her chest at how close they were.

"What?" Hermione huffed out a laugh but she had never been the best liar and it came out more like a squeak than anything else.

"It's okay to admit that you can't stand being away from me," Padma teased. Hermione moved to shove the other girl away but Padma caught her wrist easily with her Merlin damned Quidditch reflexes and pulled Hermione in for another kiss.

Hermione melted into it. Padma's lips tasted like cherry flavoured lip balm and, in that moment, it was just Hermione and Padma, sitting in a tent together, kissing like nothing else in the world mattered. When they pulled apart, they were both smiling at each other with pick cheeks. "I'm not going because it's too expensive," Hermione said softly," Like I said."

"They'd give you a scholarship," Padma pointed out," You're the smartest person in the school. Doesn't the 'brightest witch of her age' ring a bell?"

"It's not like its difficult!" Hermione laughed back, pulling Padma down so they were both resting on their backs, staring up at the ceiling of the tent," I swear, with the amount of inbreeding going around with the Purebloods, they're getting dumber and dumber every year."

They both laughed at that but Hermione paled slightly when she noticed Padma still watching her. She knew that face - that exact Padma face that screamed 'we're not done speaking about this and I will argue about this to the bitter end'. 

"I'm serious though, Mione," Padma continued," If this is about 'us'-"

"It's not," Hermione said again," And we're not really an 'us', anyway. Well we are as in the fact that I'm a person and you're a person and, together, that makes two people which makes us an 'us' per the Oxford Dictionary definition of 'us' but really-"

Padma silenced her with a kiss. "We are an us," She said," I've never felt more like an 'us' with anybody but you."

"More us then when you and Terry were an us?"

Hermione clamped her hands over her mouth in horror. It was an unspoken rule between the pair of them - not to mention Terry Boot. He was Padma's ex-boyfriend and he was biggest dick Hermione had ever met. He was in their year at school and a Ravenclaw just like Padma was. The pair had started dating in fifth year but broke up after OWLs - before Hermione and Padma became...whatever they were now. He lived in London just like Hermione did and she was glad that she hadn't bumped into him since the Summer had began - which was a feat in and of itself because he lived a few streets away from where Hermione's pseudo-aunt and her family lived.

Padma frowned before turning to gaze at the ceiling again. "Weren't we kind of an 'us' even before Terry?"

"Maybe," Hermione shrugged and inwardly grinned when Padma turned on her side again and grabbed Hermione by the back of the neck and pulled her into a kiss.

All thoughts of Terry and France and Beauxbatons with their Nundu crest vanished into thin air as Hermione kissed back.

* * *

"Terry is back."

Hermione tore her eyes away from the TV screen in front of her. Currently, she was sat in Lavender Brown's games room, slouched against her bed with her eyes trained on the screen with an Xbox controller in her hands. All Muggle technology used by Muggleborns had been taken in by the Ministry to modify so it could withstand magic usage and Lavender was one of the only ones who had a gaming system and Hermione didn't have to money to pay the Ministry to do the same for her own technology - minus her phone and laptop.

On the screen, her character died.

"That was my last life," She said sourly. She reached for her drink - a cream soda from a knockoff brand that Hermione loved because it was so cheap. From sitting atop her bed, Lavender poked the older girl with her foot.

"Did you hear what I just said?"

On her other side, Luna Lovegood sat up and pulled the Xbox controller out of Hermione's hands. "She heard you," Luna mused," But I don't think that she cares."

"I do care," Hermione insisted," Because I like Terry and, genuinely, I had no idea that he had left London."

"Mione," Lavender said with a warning tone.

"They're done," Hermione said as she watched Luna storm through the level with little difficulty," And me and Padma are-"

"A summer fling," Lavender said bluntly," She's going to break your heart."

Hermione sighed and scowled. Lavender had been saying the exact same thing since the start of Summer.

"Padma is kind of flaky," Luna said softly, flicking her hair over her shoulder when it got in the way of her gaming," I don't see that making her a good girlfriend."

Hermione rolled her eyes and shoved Luna fondly. "Luna, I love you," She said with the utmost seriousness," But your Ace nature doesn't make you the best source on girlfriends."

Silence descended on the trio as Luna rolled her eyes and continued to button mash.

"Padma said that you got into Beauxbatons," Lavender said after a while and Luna spat out the drink that she was sipping from. "She said that you weren't planning to attend."

Hermione's heart dropped and she groaned loudly. This was exactly why she didn't tell anybody. Hermione reached for her cheap fizzy drink - not because she was thirsty or anything but just so she had something to do and it was better than the alternative.

"Are you not going because of her?" Luna asked.

"I'm not going because it's expensive," Hermione replied, sighing and downing her drink in one swig.

"Right, because a scholarship is so out of your reach, Miss Brightest Witch Of Her Age," Lavender said.

"It's probably too late to apply for a scholarship," Hermione said sourly," And it was a stupid idea to apply anyway."

"Calling major BS on that one, Mione," Lavender shrugged.

"You know what? I'm not having this conversation," Hermione replied before grabbing her jacket from where she had flung it over Lavender's desk chair," Oh - and look at the time! I'm going to head out."

She ignored the shouting of her friends behind her.

With what happened next, Hermione wondered if it would have been better if she had stayed at Lavender's house.

* * *

Hermione walked to the store with a huff. She wasn't in the mood to be told what to do by Lavender Brown of all people. Sometimes she regretted befriending the girl in their second year. Maybe it was better to be at each other's throats all of the time rather than being friends and getting unwanted advice. The last time that Lavender had advised Hermione on anything, both of them had ended up in the Black Lake in nothing but a pair of shorts and on a Muggle floatation device as Grindylows tried to attack them. Suffice to say, Hermione knew better than to take Lavender Brown's advice.

She sighed in annoyance as she entered the store. She didn't particularly want to go home so resolved herself to turning up at her Aunt's house and chill out there before going home for dinner. Her shopping was done on autopilot, grabbing some cheese and bread before heading into the chocolate aisle - intent on eating away her feelings of annoyance. She had just picked up a chocolate bar when she turned and noticed that she wasn't alone.

The bar slipped from her hand in shock as she watched Padma grab Terry Boot by the back of the collar and pull him into a needy kiss. The thud of the chocolate hitting the ground shocked all three of them. Padma whirled around in shock before opening and closing her mouth like she didn't know what to say - _like she didn't mean to get caught._ Terry Boot, on the other hand, didn't seem to recognise the tension between the two girls as he sauntered down the aisle and clapped Hermione on the back.

"Good to see you, Granger," He said with a grin," You doing good?"

"I've been better," Hermione said through clenched teeth, still staring at Padma, who looked like she wanted the ground to swallow her up," I should, er, get going." She held up her groceries and picked the chocolate bar up from the floor. "My aunt is expecting me."

"Ah, right," Boot nodded at her before running a hand through his floppy hair," See you at school, then, right Granger?"

The mention of Hogwarts sent a sudden jerk of pain through Hermione's heart. School. She would have to see them both at school in two weeks, have to live with Lavender's gloating and Padma's twin sister. Her stomach twisted uncomfortably as she straightened her smile and put on the fakest smile that she could muster.

"Of course," She said before allowing the tiniest bit of her annoyance show," I have to beat somebody in Potions, don't I?"

Terry flushed at that before coughing slightly and going back to Padma, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her into another kiss.

* * *

"You want to what?"

Hermione nearly flinched at her father's tone when she explained her plan. That alone made her want to laugh. She had felt numb since, what she had dubbed, the 'Incident' so the guilty feeling in her stomach was a welcome surprise.

She hadn't contacted anybody since, practically falling off the grid and not replying to the messages that her friends had sent her. Padma's 'I'm sorry' was still sitting on read for nearly two weeks. Lavender's 'I told you so' was given the same treatment and Hermione hadn't even opened the messages from Luna just yet.

"France," Hermione replied as she looked at her father," Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, to be exact. It's one of the best magic schools in the world and-"

"Hermy," Her father said and she did flinch this time. He only called her that when he felt out of his depth. He only called her that when she reminded him of her mother which happened to be most of the time. Hermione inherited her looks from her mother. Helen Granger was a beautiful woman from one of the Greek islands that moved to England once she had completed school. Hermione had gained her olive skin and untameable brown hair as well as her facial structure. The only thing that she had gained from her father was his deep brown eyes. "We don't have the money for this."

"I know," Hermione said," Dad, I promise that I know. It's just- listen, right. Beauxbatons offers a bunch of scholarships and, well, I thought that-"

"What brought this on?"

Hermione thought about coming clean, about how after witnessing Padma and Terry wrapped up in each other, she had ran to Auntie Andromeda's house (who, technically speaking, wasn't actually related to her but they had gotten close when the witch had come to Hogwarts to help out Madam Pomfrey after Hermione's unfortunate accident) and told her everything. She thought about explaining how Andromeda had found out about the letter from Beauxbatons when Hermione had spilled everything to her, about how Andi had pushed her into accepting it.

"I just," Hermione said instead," I want a fresh start and, Dad, look-" She thrust the leaflet into his hands," The main language is English because they want to not only teach their students magic but real world skills as well. Please, Dad? Mum would let me." Hermione knew that was a low blow the moment that she said it.

Mr Granger slowly turned around from where he had been cooking on the stove. His eyes flicked towards where Hermione's little brother was sat in his high chair. Alexander giggled as he reached forward and chewed on his bib without a care in the world.

"Is that what this is about?" Mr Granger asked quietly," Hermy, I know-"

"Dad!" Hermione cut him off quickly," It's not about Alex or Hayley! There's no tragic backstory or anything! I just want a fresh start!"

Hermione's father had married Hayley a year before his daughter had started at Hogwarts but they had only had Alexander a year ago. Now, Hermione really like Hayley, loved her even and she was a good fit for Hermione's dad. But...She had come too late in Hermione's life for them to bond as much as Mr Granger had wanted them to. He was still absolutely convinced that Hermione still held some ill will towards this woman that had appeared out of nowhere to take the role of her mother.

Hermione sighed at her father's frown. Moving to the kitchen cupboards as he tried to compute the information that he had been given, Hermione pulled down a box of cereal and handfed a few to her brother - who gurgled happily and reached for more.

"Evening all!" Hayley Granger chirped as she entered the kitchen in a flurry of movement. She pulled Hermione into a hug, pressing a kiss to her forehead before taking Alex out of his high chair and dragging Mr Granger into a fierce lip lock.

"Evening Hayley," Hermione said as she hopped onto the kitchen counters and began to eat out of the cereal box as well," How was work?"

"Wonderful as always, sweetheart," Hayley said as she pulled away from Mr Granger and headed back to Hermione for another hug. She was a touchy-feely kind of person and, for once, Hermione didn't seem to mind. "How was your day?"

"Well-"

"Hermione wants to go to France for her sixth and seventh year," Mr Granger blurted out before his daughter can respond.

"Oh," Hayley raised an eyebrow in confusion," Okay? When are we seeing her off?"

"Hayley!" Dr Granger yelled, exasperated as his daughter hopped off of the counter to give her step-mother a massive hug that almost toppled both girls over.

"What?" Hayley raised an eyebrow and Hermione suppressed her snicker. She knew that face, the Hayley face that screams 'why the hell can't Hermione do something? She's a responsible teenager'. Hermione loved that look. "What is wrong with her going to France?"

"Honey, the school is incredibly expensive and I'm sure that all of the scholarships are-"

"She'll get a scholarship," Hayley crossed her arms over her chest and gave her husband a pointed look.

"Hayley!" He said again but relented when he saw the look on his wife's face and turned to face his daughter," Fine, apply for one of the scholarships, Hermy."

Hermione flashed him an apologetic smile and reached into the back pocket of her jeans and pulled out the second letter she received from Beauxbatons a few days ago, complete with the Nundu crest.

"I already did."


	2. Chapter 2

Beauxbatons was nothing like Hermione thought it would be. In fact, it far outstripped her expectations while also reminding her of the fact that she was probably the poorest person in the entire school. Sweeping arches made of marble and expensive statues and paintings lined the walls and Hermione could not help but feel out of place as one of the groundskeepers led her up to the dorm house and showed her to her room.

It had been two weeks since she had given her Dad the letter that told her she had earned a full scholarship for her two years at the school. He had been annoyed at her for doing it without his permission but she shot back that she had skipped the rebel phase of her childhood and it was better that she applied for a scholarship without permission rather than doing drugs. He had shut up after that and Hayley had burst out laughing.

The goodbyes to her family and friends (Padma was left out of it) had been painful but Hermione had assured them all that she would text and call them all when she had time.

"Thanks," She murmured to the staff member as she entered her dorm room, shutting the door behind her. She breathed a sigh of relief when she noticed there was only one other bed in the room - no more sharing a room with four other girls. Picking one of the beds at random, Hermione slumped onto it. She glanced around the rest of them room before she felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. 

There was only one wardrobe.

Hermione almost wished she was back at Hogwarts where her bad decisions followed her around. That would be preferable than having to share wardrobe space with some rich girl - because, yes, Hermione reminded herself, Beauxbatons was where all the French nobility sent their kids to be schooled.

Not wanting to dwell on that little fact, Hermione pulled at her phone and called her father.

"You made it!" His voice was staticky on the other line but Hermione could still pick up what was being said. "How is it?"

"David...?" Hermione smiled at the voice of Hayley. "Give me the phone! No- Give- Hand it over! Hello, sweetheart. How was the flight? Did they pick you up at the airport? Have you met your roommate yet?"

"Yes, yes and no," Hermione laughed," What did you do to Dad?"

"He's sulking," Hayley informed her curtly," Now, what is the school like?"

"Big," Hermione admitted," But smaller than Hogwarts - I'm sure that I'll get around perfectly fine. How are things back home?"

"Everything's good," Hayley replied," Alex misses his big sister of course but its nothing that the little man can't handle and-"

"Non!" A voice from the doorway said. "This is not what was agreed."

For a moment, Hermione thought about ignoring it but turned to glance over there if only to quell her curiosity. A girl stepped into the room and Hermione's phone call was forgotten in a moment. She knew that it wasn't nice to stare but Hermione couldn't help but do it because, in all honesty, this was the prettiest girl she had ever seen. She was definitely taller than Hermione was, with bright blonde hair and...clearly she had won the genetic lottery.

Her skin practically glowed and it looked so smooth and soft. It made Hermione wonder if she used those fancy beautification charms or had a very lengthy skincare routine. Or maybe, just maybe, this is what being rich did to people's faces. There was no doubt in Hermione's mind that this girl was rich - like extremely rich, like even rich people thought she was rich. That kind of rich. That was the type of rich that this girl was.

Also, only super rich people curled up their lip like this girl was doing.

She breezed into the room like she was floating and Hermione hastily ended her phone call and promised to call back later.

"This is not what was agreed," The girl said again and Hermione felt incredibly small sitting in front of her. Not to mention, the girl's clothes screamed 'I'm rich and I know it' and Hermione's screamed 'I'm so out of place that I might as well be a bull in a China shop'.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Hermione managed to get out when it became apparent that the girl was waiting for her response.

"You are English." The girl looked shock for a moment at Hermione's accent before shaking her head angrily. "This is not what was agreed."

"You keep saying that," Hermione responded," But it doesn't change the fact that I still have no idea what you're talking about." Hermione felt as shocked as the girl looked at her tone.

Was this who she was now?

Hermione Granger, confronter of rich people.

She didn't know if she liked that.

"Listen, I have no idea what you're on about but I'm sorry. Just, don't be such a brat about it."

The girl looked even more shocked before. Her otherwise beautiful face twisted into a look of scorn that was vaguely reminiscent of when Draco Malfoy had approached Hermione during their second year and tried to hex her in the corridors.

"I take it that you are my roommate?"

"Seems so."

"Charming," The girl said with an eyebrow quirked in annoyance before flouncing out of the room as quickly as she had arrived.

* * *

The uniform that Hermione had found waiting for her in the wardrobe looked horribly expensive. She put it on quickly, shivering in disgust when she realised that it was made of silk. The Hogwarts uniform may have not been...aesthetically pleasing but at least it kept her warm. This outfit didn't look like it would survive two minutes in the Scottish highlands but, then again, Hermione was now in the South of France rather than the North of Scotland.

According to the itinerary that she had been owled, the girls class were set to have 'Girl's Tea' at four so Hermione left her room at half three to give her time to find the room.

"I'm telling you Ron, she's on this floor!"

Hermione glanced around before a girl came running through the corridor. Her ginger hair was pulled up in a tight ponytail, half of it hidden under her teardrop hat.

"Oh," The girl said when she skidded to a stop in front of Hermione," Sorry, I didn't see you there."

Hermione rubbed the back of her neck. "Yeah," She said," I tend to blend in." That was the nice way of putting it...the blunt way of putting it was that Hermione was tiny and the girl in front of her, well, she was definitely much taller than Hermione was.

"Oh! You're English!" She exclaimed before turning around and yelling down the corridor," LOOK, RON, I'VE FOUND AN ENGLISH PERSON!"

"You're English," Hermione felt like she needed to point that out. The girl's accent was undeniably English - although not from the same part of England as Hermione and her friends were from.

"Yeah," The girl grinned wolfishly," But only half - you're, like, a proper English person. RON, HURRY YOUR SCRAWNY ARSE UP!"

The boy that turned the corner looked like a male version of the girl still standing in front of Hermione. He had ginger hair and a smattering of freckles across his nose. He was dressed in, what Hermione assumed, was the male version of the Beauxbatons uniform.

"I'm Ginevra - Ginny, really." The girl held out her hand.

"Hermione."

Ginny grinned and clasped Hermione's hand when she shook it, throwing an arm around the other girl's shoulders. "Hermione," She repeated, rolling the name over her tongue," Cute. I like it - very English."

"Greek, actually," Hermione said.

"Even better," Ginny replied before jerking her chin towards the boy in front of them," That's my twin brother, Ron - whose real name is actually Ronald."

"I wish that you wouldn't tell people that," He huffed before reaching forward to shake Hermione's hand. "So, you're British, then?"

"Suppose so," Hermione shrugged, shifting her weight onto her other foot," From London."

"Cool!" Ron exclaimed," Mum was English originally - I think that she was from Devon."

Hermione nodded at that. It felt oddly nice to have somebody else speaking in a British accent in a sea of French one's.

"Well," Ginny continued," Come on then. I take it that you're heading to the Girl's Tea?" Hermione nodded and allowed herself to be dragged down the corridor with Ginny's arm around her shoulders and Ron walking at their heels.

"It used to be just First Year's Tea," Ron explained as they walked," But they're letting girls join the school now so," He shrugged," They're doing one for only the girls now."

"Yes thank you, Ronald," Ginny bit out sharply," I'm sure that Hermione could work that out for herself. She's English - not stupid."

"Thanks? I think," Hermione said as they all stopped at the bottom of the stairs. There were more girls now - a lot of whom, seemed to be Hermione's age. There were a few younger ones as well - all of whom looked extremely nervous - as the trio made their way towards the group.

"Poor kiddos," Ginny commented as the three of them lingered on the outskirts," There aren't many ladies this year. It'll probably be worse for the younger ones. I've got one as my dorm buddy - some unicorn girl."

"Unicorn girl?"

"Yeah," Ginny said," Did you not get those at Hogwarts? Those girls that are entirely too obsessed with unicorns? Anyway, there aren't many girls so there aren't enough to pair us all up by our own age groups so, _some of us_ , have to room with the little ones. I already don't like her." She sighed and crossed her arms. "But that doesn't matter, me and you, Hermione, we'll be up and gone in two years - my roomie will have to survive all seven years."

"Survive?" Hermione echoed," That's a bit extreme. I mean, we all chose to be here."

"Ginny did," Ron scowled," I didn't. I would like that noted, just for the record and possibly put on my gravestone."

"All of our brothers got sent to Beauxbatons," Ginny explained," Poor Ron didn't have a choice in the matter. He's been fussing about it since we were kids so I thought that I would come and see what the big problem is." She pushed her hat back before lowering her voice. "Besides, if it's good enough for a princess then it's good enough for me." At Hermione's confused look, she elaborated. "Princess Fleur is here...as in _the_ Princess Fleur."

"No," Hermione said mockingly," Not the real one! It must be the cheap, off brand one." 

A laugh was shared.

"What did they do?" Hermione asked, only slightly interested. She knew that it was a good idea to transfer here, stuff like this never happened at Hogwarts. "Give her a room in a tower or something?"

Ginny wrinkled her nose. "Have you not seen her?" She asked," She's meant to be rooming on your floor."

"I'm pretty sure that I would know if I saw a princess," Hermione replied," Do either of you guys have a picture of her or something? Just so I can keep my eyes out?"

Hermione was pleasantly surprised when Ginny pulled out her phone - most of the purebloods at Hogwarts had no idea what it was. Another point for Beauxbatons.

"Ginny," Ron hissed at her," It's supposed to stay in your room - you're gonna get in trouble."

"What can I say?" Ginny grinned," I live life on the edge. This is her, here."

Hermione's heart dropped and her stomach twisted tightly.

She recognised that face.

Of course, the only time that she confronted somebody about anything ever was the time that she was speaking to the Princess of Wizarding France.


	3. Chapter 3

"You seriously didn't know?" Ginny asked as the three of them sat down in the East Wing Drawing Room on a tiny little sofa.

A buffet table was along the back wall full of little cakes and sandwiches that are nothing like the food at Hogwarts. Food at Hogwarts was large and definitely more heavy than these delicate French...whatever the things that Ginny had pressed into her hands were.

"I seriously didn't know," Hermione replied, picking at the tiny cake in her hands," Speaking of, don't you think that they should have warned me like, 'hey, just a heads up, you're rooming with royalty?'" Hermione didn't mention that she was here on a scholarship. She already felt out of place amongst her new...were Ron and Ginny her friends now? Either way, she felt out of place with them. Both of the Weasleys could have walked a runway in their uniforms but Hermione felt like hers looked like it belonged in a charity shop despite the fact that it was the exact same as Ginny's.

"It makes sense," Ron said from Ginny's other side," That they put her in a room with somebody that was not technically a subject." He shrugged and swiped one of the cakes from his sister's china plate. "It's really smart actually," He continued through a face full of food.

"Ron," Ginny deadpanned," You're a pig." She turned to Hermione." But he's right, for once. I suppose that it makes you two less awkward."

Hermione cleared her throat uncomfortably and twiddled her thumbs. She hadn't felt like this for a while - in fact, the only time that she had ever felt like this was when she had to explain to Professor Flitwick why he caught her and Lavender in the middle of the Black Lake on an ice cream shaped floatation device...That had been a horrific thing to try and explain.

"I, er, may have already made it awkward," She confessed," Although, at the time, she acted nothing like a princess so I don't think that it's entirely my fault...I hope?"

Ron and Ginny exchanged a look before Ginny grabbed Hermione's hand and squeezed. "Spill, everything. Don't leave anything out!"

Hermione felt like the pair of them looked a little bit too excited at what had transpired but this hadn't been the first time that Hermione had had weird friends so didn't think much of it. Dutifully, she told them about her short, two minute conversation with the Crown Princess of France (because yes, she was not only a princess but next in line for the bloody throne, just Hermione's luck). When she got to the brat comment, Ron could barely control his laughter.

"Oh Merlin," He snickered," What I wouldn't give to have been in the room when you told her that."

"I'm going to be okay, right?" Hermione asked," They're not gonna like-"

"Throw you in dungeon?" Ginny said helpfully.

"I wasn't going to say that, no," Hermione responded," I was thinking more along the lines of kicking me out. Is that not what the penalty for insulting royalty is?"

"Nah," Ron replied with a shrug, stealing more food from his sister," That's the point of sending nobility here. There's no special privileges, no kid's gloves. If they wouldn't expel you for calling Ginny a brat, which she totally is by the way, then they can't kick you out for calling Fleur the same. That's the deal."

Hermione opened her mouth to respond but closed it when the doors to the Drawing Room opened and Her Royal Highness walked in. However inferior Hermione felt sitting next to Ginny was doubled when Fleur walked in - head held high as two girls flanked her. The girl on either side of the princess were both stunningly beautiful, wearing their blue uniforms like they were designer clothes. Fleur, on the other hand, was still dressed in the expensive jumper and jeans that she was wearing during hers and Hermione's confrontation earlier.

Fleur's blue eyes briefly flicked around the room and, for a second, they met each other's gaze. Fleur's top lip curled upwards in a sneer before her eyes glanced away - a silver bird had appeared on her shoulder, ruffling its feathers before preening itself. She strutted towards another one of the sofas that were dotted around the room. Three other girls were sitting on it. They all glanced up in shock and Hermione felt _something_ brush up against her skin and around the room. She shivered slightly. It felt similar to the errant breeze that would whip through Hogwarts' corridors during the Summer - not chilling to the bone but slightly uncomfortable.

The girls on the sofa scattered quickly and Fleur and her companions took their seats.

"I'd forgotten what a piece of work she was," Ginny muttered under her breath, glaring at the other girl.

"You know her?" Hermione couldn't help but ask.

"Similar social circles and all that," Ron said as he chewed," She wasn't always this bad but, at this point, I think that abusing her Thrall is fun for her."

"Thrall?" Hermione echoed, brow furrowed in confusion. She had heard that word before, in one of her letters to her Durmstrang pen pal but, for the life of her, she couldn't bring up what it meant.

"Merlin," Ginny said," Did you really not know anything about the royal family?" Hermione shook her head and Ginny explained in a hushed tone. "They're _Veela._ Or, at least, the reigning Monarch is. The Thrall is that odd aura thing that makes people want to do what they want. It affects everyone. Fleur just likes to use it to get her way."

She threw a look of scorn over to the princess and Hermione breathed out a small laugh. "I take it that other people want to call her brat too?"

"You have no idea," Ron said," I reckon most of the country would pay to call her a brat to her face. In fact, I think that most of them would want to call her something a lot worse."

Ginny got ready to reply with something but didn't get a chance to when the doors to the room opened and a woman walked in.

"Ladies," She said and Hermione got the feeling that this was the Headmistress. Her eyes flickered around the room before settling on Ron, who went bright red at being caught and hastily wiped the crumbs from his uniform. "Ladies and Mr Weasley, I should say."

Ron was up like a shot, muttering apologies before disappearing out of the doors as quickly as he could.

"Hopeless Ron," Ginny murmured, shaking her head in fond exasperation.

"I hope for his sake that that isn't his nickname."

* * *

"Ladies," The woman - who Hermione now knew was Madam Maxime - said," I 'ope that you all 'ave been made to feel welcome 'ere at Beauxbatons and it is my outmost pleasure, to welcome our first female students in the 'istory of our great establishment." Her accent was light, lighter than the other French accents that Hermione had heard around the school but not as light as Fleur's was.

Hermione, like the others, made a noise of agreement. It seemed that everybody was on the same page but Hermione knew that the little fact would not last. Especially when a clear voice shattered the agreement of her peers. Hermione didn't need to turn to see who had spoken.

"I was not made to feel very welcome," Fleur said, side eyeing Hermione snidely.

" 'Ow so?" Madam Maxime asked, taking in Fleur's complete lack of uniform and annoyed expression.

" 'Arry told me that on the first day, somebody plays the 'arp." She smiled and then winked at the teacher. "I am afraid that I do not feel welcome at all without the appropriate fanfare." She glanced over at Hermione again before winking - this time it wasn't playful or cute.

"We will try to do better in the future, Miss Delacour," Madam Maxime said smoothly," Per'aps someone can play ze 'armonica for you when you go to shower."

Madam Maxime turned on her heel before walking out of the room with the group of girls following her. "Miss Delacour?" Hermione asked Ginny as they trudged up the stairs," Not your royal highness?"

"No," Ginny explained as they walked," It doesn't matter here - it's one of the rules. No titles, that's why I'm Miss Weasley and not Lady Ginevra."

"You're a Lady?" Hermione just couldn't put it together in her mind. Ginny, out of everybody, looked the least like an aristocrat.

"My father is the Duke of Lyon, which makes me a Lady and my brothers Lords." Ginny grinned. "But the point still stands. Here, Fleur is Miss Delacour and not Her Royal Highness."

Hermione had almost forgotten that everybody at Beauxbatons, except for herself, were wizarding nobility. One point for Hogwarts, she supposed. Draco Malfoy may have been a pompous arrogant arse but at least he wasn't actually nobility. The same went for Andi and her family - they may have been incredibly rich and very pureblood (except of course, Andi's Muggleborn husband and her half-blood daughter) but they certainly were not nobles.

The group sat down in a circle in another room that screamed expensive and Ginny continued talking. "Of course, Harry was called Mr Delacour even though he was adopted."

"Harry?" Hermione wondered just how much she didn't know about the French wizarding community. She knew that she should have done more research before choosing to attend but, in her defence, she didn't do much thinking about it when all of her thoughts were consumed with getting away from Padma.

"Yeah." Ginny, thankfully, didn't seem annoyed with Hermione's lack of knowledge. "Harry - he's Fleur's adopted brother. Her Majesty was good friends with his parents so, when they died, she just adopted him. He used to go here too but was called home to finish his education there. Rumour has it that when he was thirteen, he got banned from an entire city."

They both stifled a laugh as Madam Maxime continued to talk about the rules of the school and the expectations for the first female students but, soon enough, they were all dismissed and Hermione trudged back up the stairs to her room. She opened the door and slipped inside, completely ignoring Fleur - who was standing by the window with her phone to her ear. It was a slightly odd thing to watch, Hermione supposed as she settled on her bed and began to rummage around in her suitcase for pictures to put on their shared bedside table. Who would have thought a wizarding princess would use a phone like a Muggle?

While Fleur talked to her brother (who is a prince, a part of Hermione's mind whispered, because Fleur is his sister and Fleur is the crown princess), Hermione busied herself with grabbing a few of her picture frames. She only brought three of them with her. One of them was in a hospital, the day after Alexander was born. Hermione and Hayley were sitting on a hospital bed. Hayley was holding a baby Alex in her arms as Hermione peered at him, a thoughtful look on her face while her father stood next to them smiling. The second picture was from the last week of OWLs - before Padma and Hermione truly became an 'us'. It featured a grinning Luna, tucked underneath Hermione's arm - who was leaning into Padma's body with a laugh. Padma had her fingers up in a peace sign while Lavender posed in front of them, winking at the camera. The last picture was the only one that didn't feature Hermione in it, although it could be easily been confused for her. Helen Granger smiled at the camera, grey eyes alight in amusement at whatever had been said to her before the picture had been taken.

" 'Arry," Hermione heard Fleur say," I will call you back. I 'ave a turf war to win."

Hermione ignored her as she kept a respectful space between her possessions and the things that Fleur had lined up on her area of the bedside table. 

"Well," The princess said in that same snide voice from earlier," At least you are not completely 'opeless."

Hermione wasn't entirely sure what to make of that but opted to stay silent. She still wasn't completely sure that being rude to Fleur wouldn't get her kicked out. At the silence that greeted her, Fleur sighed loudly.

"And what exactly is your name?"

"Hermione."

" 'Ermione, what?"

"HER-mione Granger," She replied through clenched teeth, stressing the first part of her name. Merlin, it was like trying to teach Viktor all over again. "That's all there is. No fancy titles or anything. Just Hermione Granger."

Fleur wrinkled her nose in disgust before laying down on her own bed. "And you are English."

"From London."

Fleur looked disgusted and Hermione just knew that this girl (princess, Hermione's mind supplied to her) understood what part of London Hermione meant she came from. Fleur muttered something that sounded suspiciously like a swear word under her breath.

"Listen," Hermione said after a few moments of tense silence," I'm sorry about calling you a brat. I was just tired and you were being really pushy."

Fleur scoffed, shaking out her hair before grabbing a book from her bag. "I am amazed that you think that somebody like you could offend me, pet."

"It's Hermione," She returned through clenched teeth," Or Granger if you really detest me so much."

"Actually," Fleur replied, ice blue eyes flicking to Hermione before she gave her a treacherous smile," I don't really care because you aren't going to be my roommate long enough for it to matter what I call you - that's a promise."


	4. Chapter 4

Hermione allowed a smug smile to form on her lips as she began her third lap of the outside of the palace. While Hogwarts may not have put an emphasis (Hermione could imagine Lavender's affronted face at being woken up at five in the morning to run five laps around the castle walls) on physical education, Beauxbatons certainly did. Now, a second year Hermione may have been annoyed at the idea of running so early in the morning but now, sixth year Hermione could only laugh as she watched most of her peers struggle. She knew that a few years ago she would have been in their shoes. But, right now, she was anything but.

She owed it to Hayley of course. Her step-mother had realised in the Summer between second and third year that Hermione got restless easily even when she was surrounded by books. So, each and every morning of any holiday that Hermione was home for, Hayley cajoled her step-daughter into running a lap around the block with her. Hermione winced at Hayley's idea of 'around the block' that was truly just running the three miles to the nearest park, doing four laps of said park before running the three miles home again. Needless to say, running five laps around Beauxbatons wasn't exactly the end of the world.

But, even as easy as it was for Hermione, she still didn't hold a candle to Ginny, who was just beginning her fourth lap. Hermione wasn't too sure if she liked Ginny anymore just because the girl left her in the dust so easily.

"They're trying to murder us," Ron wheezed as they ran. He and Hermione had fallen into an easy rhythm with each other for the week or so that they had been doing this since the start of term. "That's what this bloody place is. It's not a school, it's a murder palace!"

Hermione glanced at the palace next to her. The outside was certainly darker than the inside and, in the early morning gloom, it did look a tad intimidating. She rolled her eyes and nudged Ron fondly. "I can see it," She said with a grin," They definitely didn't show this in the leaflet."

Ron laughed as he jogged around a puddle. "I always wondered what they showed to the foreigners."

"A lot more Muggle fairy tale and a lot less running at five in the morning."

He nodded and grinned before inclining his head to where their peers up ahead were starting their second laps. "What do you say we show them how it's down?"

Hermione put on a spurt of speed. "Not going to claim us murder school!" She laughed.

"Two fewer students on their roster," Ron agreed as he dashed to catch up with her.

Fifteen minutes later had Hermione sitting on the steps to the palace as she waited for the rest of her classmates to finish their laps. She had pawned her water bottle off to Ron and Ginny when they offered to fill it up for her so was sitting alone as her classmates ran. It was only now that Hermione truly appreciated the beauty of her surroundings. Rolling hills of green grass spread as far as the eye could see. It was very different from the dingy, dark Forbidden Forest that was on the outskirts of Hogwarts. Yet another point for Beauxbatons.

"You are not going to start crying, are you?"

Hermione whipped her head to the side to find Fleur sitting next to her, expensive sunglasses sitting on her head. They had all been given a powder blue tracksuit to complete their early morning exercise in but Fleur, who had just completed all five of her laps, made it look like she had just stepped off of the runway. No hair was out of place, in fact, Fleur was practically glowing - a healthy flush on her cheeks.

"No," Hermione huffed, turning away.

"Singing then?" Fleur continued on," Definitely not singing, right?"

"No," Hermione said again, propping her head up on her hand and looking anywhere but Fleur's pretty face - _where the hell had that come from?_

An errant breeze appeared out of nowhere and Hermione managed to turn her head to glance at Fleur's pretty face - _seriously what the hell was wrong with her -_ and found the same silver bird perched on her shoulder as before. Fleur noticed her staring and shook out her hair - which, seriously, shouldn't have looked so good after five laps around the palace - before letting a self satisfied grin show on her face. 

"I am serious," She said in a low voice that almost had Hermione drooling," Are you sure that you are not going to start singing?"

"Definitely not," Hermione turned away sharply even though she felt an almost compulsive need to look back at her again," In fact, I would quite enjoy it if you would be quiet." She emphasised the last word in the hopes that Fleur would get it and shut up. Of course, luck always had ways of fucking with her.

"You know, this is not even the best view in France," Fleur said. The bird rested on her shoulder as the Veela studied her roommate. " St-Tropez and Nice - those are the best places to look at."

Hermione ignored her.

Fleur heaved out a sigh next to her, shifting ever closer. "Where did you say that you were from again?"

"London," Hermione bit out," And not the classy side - but you knew that already, didn't you?"

"You do look," Fleur wrinkled her nose as she thought of the word," Terribly Muggle."

"I'm a Muggleborn," Hermione replied in a matter-of-fact tone before standing up and dusting off her tracksuit when she saw Ron and Ginny round the corner with her water, shoving each other and laughing. "Is that going to be a problem?" Her voice was harsh and clipped and Fleur blinked once in shock at being addressed using it.

"Non," She said," I 'ave nothing against Muggleborns."

"Good."

Hermione left without another word, running up the palace steps to meet Ginny and Ron halfway.

* * *

Sitting in History of Magic after showering (before Fleur of course because, Merlin, the princess really enjoyed taking her sweet time showering) and changing into her uniform, Hermione aimlessly tapped her quill against her parchment. She hadn't expected to have to do History of Magic again but, apparently, students at Beauxbatons took every NEWT possible - minus Divination because, apparently, the French didn't believe in prophecy, thank Merlin. However, Hermione was glad that she no longer had to suffer through Professor Binns' droning but, she stifled a laugh at her memories of Professor Binns' teaching techniques as she scratched out the ???? next to the name of Ragnok and replaced it with 'Ragnok the Bone-Eater'. She briefly wondered if all History of Magic teachers had a fascination with the Goblin Wars because it was all that this teacher had talked about since the start of the year.

" 'Omework is to write four rolls of parchment," The teacher announced just as the bell rang for lunch and everybody began to pack up," On ze role of Ragnok ze Bone-Eater in bringing peace to ze wizarding and goblin troops, due Friday." Hermione almost groaned at that but hurriedly got up to go to lunch. She only shared a few classes with her newfound friends (Potions and Transfiguration with Ginny and Care of Magical Creatures and Astronomy with Ron) and, unfortunately most of her other classes were shared with Fleur.

Hermione shook her head to clear away her thoughts before it slowly dawned on her that she had been accosted by two equally pretty girls (but neither were as pretty as Fleur - _what the hell, Granger? You can't just start thinking your arse of a roommate is pretty, stupid subconscious_. Her mind supplied their names before either of them opened their mouth's to speak. After Ginny had found out how little Hermione actually knew about the French aristocrats that she was going to school with, the ginger girl made it her mission to explain everything to her new friend.

As such, Hermione knew that the girl on the left was Karine Chevrolet whose mother was the Duchess of Montpellier. Her companion was Estelle Leriche whose father was the Lord of Chartres. Of course, Hermione hadn't needed Ginny to tell her that. Both of these girls were often seen in the company of Fleur like they were on the first day. Hermione sighed at the confrontation - she had known that this was coming for a while now - before attempting to escape the situation before it truly began.

Of course, even since witnessing Padma kissing Terry again, luck always seemed to be fucking with her.

"Estelle," Karine said with a hint of haughtiness in her tone as she spoke, flipping her hair off of her shoulder," Is zis not ze sad English girl zat took Cecille's spot?"

The other girl - Estelle - laughed mockingly before staring down at Hermione through her lashes. "Hmm. Do you know what Karine? I zink zat it is!"

Hermione fought the urge not to reach for her wand and hex them. She had no idea what the penalty would be if she hexed them so she could leave. In fact, the only time she had ever done that to before was Malfoy and she had managed to sneak away so quickly that nobody had realised that it was her. But, Hermione realised sourly, she would have no such luck this time. So, she attempted to slide passed them - only to be blocked again.

"Look," She said, annoyance showing clearly on her face," I didn't take anybody's place so, if you don't mind, I'm just going to get pas-"

"Beauxbatons only offers one full scholarship every year," Karine blocked her path," You knew zis, oui?" Hermione studied the girl in front of her, nose wrinkling in annoyance. She wasn't as pretty up close but the way she held herself was very intimidating and she vaguely reminded Hermione of the older students at Hogwarts when they were getting ready for the Ball during the cultural exchange with Durmstrang.

"I did know that," Hermione replied," But I earned that scholarship so if your friend has a problem with that." She shrugged. "I'm not going to be held accountable."

Estelle bristled before scoffing and taking one step forward, trapping Hermione between her body and the desk. "Earned? Ze _Billeud famille_ 'ave been sending zeir boys 'ere since Beauxbatons' creation! Zis is the first year zat a Billeud 'as not attended!"

"Is that meant to mean something to me?" Hermione asked, eyes blazing with a type of anger that seemed to shock her classmate," I _earned_ that scholarship so if your friend didn't get in, it's not my problem. I studied my arse off for my OWL grades, it's not my fault that mine beat hers."

Karine frowned at her, lip raised up in a disgusting sneer. " _Mon dieu,_ Fleur was not kidding about you."

Hermione almost rolled her eyes at that. She was well versed in bullying attempts and it seemed that they were finally at the 'implying somebody said something nasty about you' part of the disagreement. Although, Hermione knew that it wasn't so much as implying as it was telling the truth that Fleur had said something potentially unflattering about her new roommate.

"Are you two finished?" Ginny deadpanned from the doorway. Her face was a perfect mask of boredom as Ron - looking equally as bored - lingered behind her. Hermione made a mental note to practice that exact face in the mirror because Karine and Estelle backed off completely, breezing out of the classroom without saying anything else.

"Are you alright?" Ron asked once they were gone. In front of him, his sister muttered a long winded French phrase under her breath that Hermione gathered wasn't at all flattering to the two girls that had just run away.

"Oh, I'm fine," Hermione huffed out a small laugh," Hogwarts was a much bigger place with much more bullying. Those two..." She thought for a moment. "Their idea of bullying was almost...quaint, I guess?"

"Oh yeah," Ginny said, looping her arm around Hermione's and beginning to steer them both towards the dining hall for lunch," They wouldn't know politeness if it hit them in the face - even if they are aristocrats."

"They did strike me as two prats."

"Prat?" Ron echoed.

"You know," Hermione furrowed her brow in confusion," Acting like prats."

"What's a prat?" Ginny asked.

"Oh, never mind," Hermione shook her head in exasperation as they walked," British slang - I'll explain later."

* * *

The books surrounding Hermione when she got back to her room after dinner, were all about Muggle survival strategy.

Yesterday morning, a notice had been put up in the Common Area for the sixth years informing them about their mandatory presence in The Challenge. Hermione had cocked her head to the side when she saw the notice before her brain finally pulled up what the notice was referring to.

The Challenge was, apparently, a tradition done at Beauxbatons for all sixth years. The basic premise was that the whole year group was to be paired up with their roommate (Hermione felt annoyance bubble at the fact that she was paired with Fleur of all people) and shipped off into the surrounding wilderness for two days before they made their own ways back to the school...without magic. It was supposed to teach students not to rely on their magic but the only upside that Hermione could find was that, at least, she didn't have to do this in the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts.

But, apart from that, Hermione found that there were no other positives and way too many negatives.

Speaking of the negatives, one of them had just walked in.

Fleur breezed into the room nearly an hour after curfew. She bid goodbye to her giggling friends (both Karine and Estelle sneered at Hermione before the door was swung shut). 

Fleur glanced at Hermione - who was sitting on her bed with books spread around her and floating candles hovering so she could read properly - before she grimaced. Her blue eyes glanced over Hermione's study situation before sneering. The errant breeze of the first day appeared in the room, brushing up against Hermione's skin - Fleur's Thrall, her mind supplied. Just like earlier, a silver bird appeared on her shoulder, staring down at Hermione while it hopped around on its feet in impatience.

"Extinguish those flames, _ma petite tamia_ ," Fleur ordered, shaking out her hair. The breeze strengthened against Hermione's skin, more uncomfortable than during the previous week. She shook it off though, physically shaking her head to clear her many thoughts (thoughts of a compulsion to do as Fleur wanted, thoughts of confusion at where the hell that bird kept appearing from and thoughts of smacking Fleur in that stupidly attractive face of hers for sending her friends to attempt to bully Hermione).

"I'm studying," Is what Hermione replied with, turning a page in her book.

"Per'aps you mis'eard me," Fleur said again. The bird on her shoulder grew agitated and the pressure on Hermione's skin strengthened," I said to extinguish the flames _."_

"I heard you," Hermione replied, not even sparing her roommate (the crown princess of wizarding France, Hermione's brain supplied unhelpfully) a single glance.

" 'Ow are you doing that, _ma petite tamia?"_ Fleur's voice was full of awe and wonder (?) but Hermione wasn't too sure why.

"Stop calling me that!" She bristled before inwardly wincing. It had been a bit of a flaw of hers for a while that when she didn't understand something (mainly with human interactions), she immediately jumped onto the defensive. " What does that even mean, anyway?!"

"You like your books," Fleur sniffed at her before flashing Hermione a smirk," Look it up."

She waved her wand and extinguished all of Hermione's candles in an instant, plunging the room into darkness as she slipped into bed.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a reminder that everybody is in sixth year unless stated otherwise  
> Also, large chunks of speech in italics is in French

After three weeks into term (and three weeks of avoiding Fleur whether it was being asleep before the girl came back to the dorm or waking up hours before her), Hermione had decided that weekends at Beauxbatons far outstripped weekends at Hogwarts. For one, Hermione's weekends were no longer caught up with doing homework for the next week due to the amount of study periods that Beauxbatons offered during a normal week. For two, there just seemed to be so much to do. She no longer had to wait for certain weekends to go into the nearby town and could even go after classes ended on any weekday - she hadn't gone during the week though because she knew that was what Fleur did and didn't want to run into the princess there.

Hermione's weekends were spent with Ginny and Ron. The weekend of the first week of term, Ginny had managed to get onto the Beauxbatons Quidditch team as a Chaser and all she had been talking about for the past week and a half was the soon to be tournament between Beauxbatons and two other wizarding schools that had yet to get through qualifying rounds. Hermione had been dragged out each and every Saturday morning since to watch the Quidditch practice. Hermione had attended, of course, because she genuinely liked Ginny and the girl was a good friend. She didn't want to make it awkward by mentioning that she used to do the same for Padma - who she hadn't even mentioned to either of the Weasleys just yet.

Sundays, though, banished all thoughts of Padma and Quidditch from her mind. Sundays were 'Ron Days', as the boy had dubbed them. He took great delight in sneaking Hermione down into the kitchens and helping her to make British food so they could stuff their faces with it. Other times, he dragged her out to the village where he would show her the Domme tunnels or they would linger outside a sweet shop where he would introduce her to French wizarding sweets.

Currently though, on Saturday afternoon, Hermione sat cross legged on her bed with a spiral notebook on her lap. The cover was in the colours of Gryffindor and her name was engraved on the front. It had been a Christmas gift from her Aunt Andi in her third year. Hermione, Lavender, Luna and Padma had all received one. Each notebook was connected to the others and anything written in one of them would appear in the others. Charmed with an eternal feather-weight spell and to never run out of pages, the diaries were the easiest way to communicate between the four of them especially now that Hermione was in a different country.

She absentmindedly tapped her quill against the page as she waited. Luna had sent her a letter (an actual letter by owl because it delivered a care package of sugar quills as well) a few days ago to make sure that she was ready with her diary Saturday because apparently stuff had happened while she was away and Luna absolutely needed to tell her. 

So, Hermione waited.

_**Hey, Hermione** _

Hermione blinked in shock before slowly closing the diary. She stared at the cover in mute horror before slowly opening it again.

**_I was wondering where you were? Lav and Luna haven't told me and you haven't come back to school yet._ **

Hermione could recognise that handwriting anywhere.

Padma.

Just as more words began to form on the page again, Hermione slammed the cover closed again, taking steadying breaths. No, she wasn't ready - not yet. She wasn't ready to talk to Padma again, to go back to being just friends, to ignoring the kisses that they had shared before school started up again, to ignore the crush that Hermione had harboured since they were eleven. Hermione clenched her fists before she threw her diary across the room. She was definitely a little proud at the noise that it made when it collided with the wall.

She was not in the mood to talk to Padma so soon after everything happened. Hermione fought the urge to scream before she stood from her bed and reluctantly picked the diary up from where it had crashed to the floor.

She was just getting situated back on her bed, cracking open one of her survival books again and deciding that she could deal with the 'Padma Problem' at a later date, when Fleur swung open the door with a loud thud. Hermione jumped at the sound before allowing confusion to appear on her face. That wasn't right. On Saturday afternoons, Fleur would go into town with her friends and not return until long after Hermione had fallen asleep.

"You are...'ere."

Both girls looked at each other in shock. It seemed that Fleur was surprised that they had bumped into each other as well. They had been doing so well at avoiding each other so it was a shock for Hermione to be staring at Fleur.

"Yeah...so are you."

They dissolved into an awkward silence before Fleur cleared her throat, an odd sort of pink rising on her cheeks as she shook out her hair. "Why are you 'ere?"

"It's my room." Hermione couldn't believe that Fleur was asking that. "We share this place, you know that right?"

Inwardly, Hermione scolded herself. She really needed to stop pissing off royalty, it was becoming a hobby at this point and she definitely didn't like it like that.

"I know," Fleur said, an eyebrow quirked," I just expected..."

"Expected what?" Hermione bristled.

"Am I interrupting something?" A voice from their open door had both girls jumping.

Hermione leaned forward in bed, looking towards the doorway to see who it was.

It was a boy.

He was smiling from the door, tousled black hair and piercing green eyes. He was wearing a maroon jumper with the most expensive looking jeans. Hermione blinked at him - they certainly didn't make boys like him at Hogwarts.

" 'Arry!" Fleur exclaimed. She practically threw herself across the room as she scooped the boy into a tight hug

That was when it hit Hermione.

This was obviously Fleur's boyfriend. They moved in perfect sync with each other and they both frighteningly attractive. They made a good pair but...There was obviously something that Hermione was missing when her gut twisted at the idea. She studied them again. Yes, they moved in sync and yes they were attractive but...Hermione cocked her head to the side as she watched them. They were almost...platonic in their movement.

_Didn't Ginny say that Fleur had an adopted brother?_

"Who's this?" Harry asked, glancing behind his sister to look at the girl still sitting on her bed.

"Roomie. Granger," Fleur said curtly as if the words physically pained her to say.

"Well, Roomie Granger," Harry laughed as he pushed his adopted sister away and held out his hand for Hermione," I'm Brother Harry." He paused," That makes me sound like a monk."

"You would be a terrible monk," Fleur said dryly as she watched Hermione and Harry shake hands.

"I would not!" Harry said, running a hand through his hair to make is messier before grinning at both girls," Now, are you girls ready for some fun?"

* * *

Hermione had no idea how she ended up in a pub on Saturday evening. It was made even worse that she was at a pub with _Fleur_ of all people.

Crammed into a tiny booth - that was even smaller than the booths that Hermione used to sit in at the Three Broomsticks back home - with aristocracy was not on Hermione's to-do list but, there she was, sitting with aristocracy in a small family-owned pub that all four of her companion's could buy without even making a dent in their bank accounts.

Currently, Harry was by the bar - chatting to the bartender. It seemed that in wizarding France, the alcohol consumption age was sixteen so the boy had no trouble buying everybody a drink. Hermione was sat wedged between Ron and Ginny - both of whom had stumbled across Fleur, Harry and Hermione (who had been dragged out of her dorm because Harry insisted on taking Fleur and her roommate out for a drink) in the hallways and were allowed to come as well.

Sitting opposite them, was Fleur. She had the most bored look on her face as she glanced around the pub, nose wrinkled in disgust. There was a dart board hanging on the wall where two of Harry's friends were playing. Another one of his friends was dancing to whatever had been put on the Wizarding Wireless. Once Harry returned with drinks, Fleur dismissed herself to the toilet while Ginny dragged her brother to his feet so they could challenge the boys playing darts.

"So," Harry said when they were alone," Roomie Granger-"

"It's Hermione," She sighed, looking curiously at whatever was in her glass - what she wouldn't give for a Butterbeer right now," Fleur has an inability to call me by my name because-"

"I get it," Harry grinned at her, taking a swig of his own drink," It's because she's trying to keep you at a distance. No one gets to be Fleur's friend until they've jumped through hundreds of hoops - preferably on fire."

"I...wasn't going to say that but I'll take your word on it." Hermione mentally scoffed at the idea of being friends with Fleur Delacour. She changed the subject quickly. "I'm not trying to be rude but why do you have an English accent if you're Fleur's brother? She certainly doesn't have one."

Harry laughed at that, hand going to his hair again, ruffling it until it was messy again before finishing off his drink. "My bio parents were English but Maman was friends with my Da so that's why she and Papa adopted me. I've got a godfather - uncle really - but he used to take me during Summer. I picked up my accent from him - my uncle Sirius."

Hermione choked on her drink suddenly, spluttering and coughing. Harry looked at her in worry.

"Sirius?!" Hermione nearly laughed. "As in Sirius Orion Black?"

Harry's worry morphed into shock.

"Yeah? How'd you know that?"

"He's my uncle!" Hermione said," Kind of. I'm close with his cousin - my Auntie Andromeda. I would stay with her and her family at Christmas - Uncle Sirius always comes in dressed like a potato!"

"No way!" Harry exclaimed," I'm surprised that we've never met before, then. Hey - does he do that thing with you where he bursts into your room as a dog?"

"Of course! It scares the hell out of me!"

When Fleur returned back to the table five minutes later, Hermione and Harry had both dissolved into laughter, comparing the various pranks that they had been subjected to by Sirius. "Hey," Harry said when Ron and Ginny returned as well - having beaten Harry's friends at their own game," I'll get the next two rounds." With that, he slid out of the booth and headed back to the bar.

Ginny was sufficiently buzzed as she leaned into Hermione, laughing about _something_ that nobody else seemed to understand. Ron smirked into his glass, draining the last of his firewhiskey as he watched his sister make a fool of herself in front of royalty. Fleur, yet again, looked incredibly bored at the proceedings, muttering under her breath about her brother abandoning her with idiots.

"Come on!" Ginny cajoled, poking Hermione in the cheek, marvelling slightly at how squishy it was," We need to get you a cute French boy! The French do everything better!"

Hermione swatted her hands away fondly. "Thanks for the offer, Gin, but I'm not interested in dating right now."

Fleur piped up from opposite her, eyebrow quirked in that sexy way that had Hermione reminding herself, _no, Hermione - don't start catching feelings for the rude princess of France even if she was really pretty and sometimes pleasant to share space with._ "She did not say dating," Fleur said, circling her rim of her glass with a finger," There is no 'arm in sampling the local wares. Live a little."

All thoughts of how pretty Fleur was, all but disappeared as Hermione glared at the girl - something she did so much now that she was beginning to wonder if her face was going to freeze that way. "Not interested in sampling, either," She said instead of the insult that was building on her tongue," I just broke up with someone."

Okay, well, Hermione and Padma hadn't been dating so technically they didn't break it up but it was the same sentiment and, probably, the only way to explain what happened between them without going into excruciating detail. Hermione's mind went back to the unanswered message from Padma in the diary. By now, Lavender and Luna would have found the message as well. She wondered if they would have replied for her, informing Padma to mind her own fucking business.

Ginny, a bit more sober than before, groaned loudly. She patted Hermione's cheek. "Anybody who dumped you is obviously blind," She said," What was his name?"

Hermione nearly followed in Ginny's footsteps and groaned - she didn't though. She had done some thinking before she had left London, about how to approach the while 'bi thing'. She wasn't properly in or out back home. Lavender, Luna and Padma had known of course. Her father and Hayley did as well - her father had shrugged and accepted it without fuss while Hayley had immediately tried to set her up with somebody's kid from work. The Tonks family (and Uncle Sirius, of course) had known as well but it wasn't a thing that came up in conversation usually.

So, she shrugged. " _Her_ name was Padma."

Fleur's gaze flicked over to Hermione for two brief seconds, shock evident on her face before she schooled her reaction and glanced back at the bar, where Harry had been accosted by two girls who were fawning over him. He looked incredibly uncomfortable before some of his friends appeared to help him out, flirting with the girls themselves.

"Okay, then," Ginny smiled widely at her," So when you want to get back out there, we'll find you a cute French girl instead of a boy - understood."

"Guys are good too," Hermione said," I'm both pro girls and guys in the general sense but I'm not really interested at the moment. I came here for school, not romance."

"You can do both," Fleur shrugged as she leaned against the back of the booth," Last time I checked, Beauxbatons was not a nunnery."

"It might as well be," Ginny huffed, sending a not so discreet look over to Harry. Ron coughed violently at his sister's insinuation, going bright red before trying to disappear into his seat.

Fleur, however, let out a short bark of haughty laughter, throwing her hair over her shoulder and leaning forward across the table. "Oh, darling," She said," You could do much better than my brother."

"Better than a prince?" Ginny scoffed.

"Oui." Fleur waved a dismissive hand in Harry's direction. "I adore 'Arry but I would not wish 'im on any woman - 'e is far too awkward for that."

Hermione rolled her eyes. She thought that Harry's awkwardness was kind of endearing - not that she would ever go for a boy like him but the sentiment was there. Somebody had turned up the music and in minutes, the whole pub was packed with teenagers.

Hermione took a large drink from her glass and wondered when she could politely head back to the school. She had never been one for parties.

 _"Do you want to dance with me?"_ A boy appeared by the booth, holding out his hand for Hermione to take, a smug smile on his lips. He obviously didn't attend Beauxbatons but he was attractive enough, even without all of the elegance that Fleur and Harry held.

" _No, I'm fine,"_ Hermione said, shaking her head. She thanked Merlin that Andromeda had forced her into learning French when she agreed to apply for the Beauxbatons' scholarship. It had been a tricky process but Hermione was nothing if not inventive with her study methods and had quite a good grasp on the language. At the French spilling from her lips, Fleur's jaw dropped in shock while Ginny practically squealed at the new information.

 _"Are you sure?"_ The boy continued, reaching out to take her arm.

" _Very sure,"_ Hermione replied, staring at her glass and wondering why she ever thought leaving her room was a good idea.

" _Come on,"_ The boy cajoled," _I'll make it worth your time."_

 _"Is 'no' a concept not taught at the other schools?"_ Fleur leaned across the table, eyes flat and cold as her silver bird appeared on her shoulder and the breeze appeared out of nowhere. It was cold than ever before, no longer teasing and alight with suggestion. Her Thrall caused the boy to stay rooted to the ground, unable to walk away.

 _"Easy,"_ He said, worry leaking into his tone," _I was only asking her to dance."_

_"Yes, but you continued to ask her to dance even when she said no, which, I suppose, is where my confusion comes in."_

"Fleur," Hermione hissed. Ginny and Ron were uneasily looking at each other while Hermione realised that Harry's friends had noticed the commotion. As she looked closer at them, Hermione noticed their rippling muscles and the...scary looks in their eyes as they watched. Harry, however, was none the wiser.

 _"I don't want any trouble,"_ The boy said. It was obvious that he had noticed Harry's friends as well.

But Fleur didn't let him go so easily. She eased up her Thrall, only slightly though before she whistled loudly - almost as if she was calling a dog. But the whistle didn't summon any animals, instead all of Harry's friends presented themselves, arms crossed as they smirked at the other boy.

"Oh no." Hermione heard Ginny mutter under her breath. "We are so dead."

Harry had noticed as well and uneasily made his way forward. "Fleur," He said," It's just one guy. Let it drop."

Fleur's gaze softened as she looked at her brother before shrugging delicately - the most princess-like Hermione had ever seen her act before. " 'E was bothering us." Hermione glanced between the two siblings.

"No, he wasn-" She began.

"Four to one," One of Harry's friends said," It is not exactly fair, is it Fleur?"

"I am wiz Tristan," One of the dark-haired boys said," It seems benea'z us."

"Beneath you?" Fleur scoffed before laughing," Claude, you are banned from _Le Bristol Paris_ for trying to to fly your underwear up the flagpole."

It was Claude's turn to scoff now. "I did not try," He said," I succeeded - Louis was zere."

" _Sorry,"_ The boy that started it all said, trying to make sense of the English being spoken," _Can I go?"_ He jabbed his thumb back to his table where his friends were waiting. _"No offense, you're not really that hot and I deeply regret coming over."_

Hermione shrugged. " _Go ahead."_ While she didn't really care about what he thought about her appearance, as soon as the words left his mouth, both Ginny and Fleur scowled at him - Fleur's hands tightening around her pint glass.

Almost as one, Claude, Louis, Tristan and Harry, glanced back at the boy's table.

" _Oh!"_ Louis exclaimed," _You have friends! In that case-"_

Then he punched the other boy.

The boy went sprawling, his glass falling to the floor and shattering on impact. The other guys at his table shot up while Tristan, Louis and Claude grinned at them.

Harry sighed. He turned to Fleur. "I hate having to defend 'your honour' or whatever this thing that you're trying to pull is. Maman is going to kill us."

Fleur grinned at him. "That is the point."

Then...it was a full on war.

Harry and his friends were punching and kicking while the other group returned it in kind.

"We are so dead!" Ron yelled over the cacophony of violence," We're going to die!"

"We need to get out of here!" Ginny yelled back, grabbing Ron by the shoulder and pulling on Hermione's arm," The others are going to start taking pictures and then we're all in for it!"

Hermione nodded her agreement, already trying to shuffle out of the booth that they were all sat in.

" _Ma biche,_ " Fleur said, voice quiet but full of warning.

Hermione knew that she was being addressed and turned to tell Fleur that this wasn't the time to be mocking her when there was a bloody brawl going on - which, first of all, why the hell were wizards even fighting like Muggles when they had wands and second of all, why was nobody calling the bloody police? Hermione paled though when she saw the glass in roommate's hand - the princess' eyes sparked with something as she smirked.

"Duck," Fleur said.

Then, she threw the glass.


	6. Chapter 6

_**CHAOS AT LOCAL BAR WITH THE ROYAL SIBLINGS** _

_Another day, another royal mess for Her Majesty Queen Apolline C. Delacour of France to clean up.  
_ _This time it's to do with her two eldest children, Crown Princess Fleur I. Delacour (recently turned 17) and  
_ _adopted Prince Harry J. Delacour-Potter (16). In the late hours of Saturday evening, both siblings appeared at  
_ _a local bar in the village of Domme, down the road to Beauxbatons where Crown Princess Fleur Delacour  
_ _attends._

_The rumour states that both of the royal siblings started a bar fight unprovoked. It begs the question  
on whether or not Crown Princess Fleur was sent to Beauxbatons to try and tame her wild streak. As you  
can see in the photos, Crown Princess Fleur (right) seems to be throwing what looks to be a pint glass while  
her brother Prince Harry (far left) is seen punching somebody._

_Also note, cowering under the table is the youngest son of the Duke of Lyons, Lord Ronald B. Weasley and,  
covering her eyes, is the only daughter of the same Duke, Lady Ginevra M. Weasley. No confirmation on  
who the other girl is. But it also begs the question of how Queen Apolline is going to deal with her unruly  
children. We can only hope that she raises her youngest child Princess Gabrielle L. Delacour (who has  
just celebrated her eighth birthday) in a more admirable way._

_Written By R. Skeeter_

Hermione peered at the newspaper in horror on Monday afternoon after she, Fleur, Ron and Ginny had all been called to Madam Maxime's office after class. Apparently, the fight at the pub hadn't just been a local scandal and had made it onto the front page of the national newspaper. Hermione had known that this interrogation was going to come at some point and, honestly, it surprised her that it took as long as it did. She hadn't even looked at the newspaper until it was thrown onto the headmistress' desk when the four of them had arrived. The only saving grace was that, because Hermione wasn't a noble, none of the newspapers could identify her.

Harry and his friends had left and were, most likely, living their best life without any consequences for starting a pub brawl. Hermione envied them.

She was sat between Ginny - who was muttering under her breath at how dead she was when her mother found out - and Fleur. Ron was sat next to his sister. His face was a sickly green colour as he stared ahead of him to where Madam Maxime was waiting behind the door that connected her office to her sleeping quarters.

"This is so dramatic," Fleur huffed, evidently bored," So much like Maman."

"Wait," Hermione said, looking at her roommate for the first since she had landed them all into this met," Excuse me?! Your mother, as in the Queen?!"

Fleur sniffed before turning to look at Hermione. "Why do you think that we are 'ere? This is the only place in the palace that can be accessed without going through the rest. Maman does not wish to announce 'er presence."

Ginny straightened in her seat, leaning across Hermione to place her hand on Fleur's sister. "Your mother?" Her voice went higher than usual," As in Her Majesty?"

Fleur shrugged off her touch. "She will be 'ere in the Maman capacity, not the Royal one."

Ginny's eyes went wide before she dropped them to her lap, playing with the hem of her skirt. "This isn't even my best uniform."

Ron snapped out of his horror at being summoned to the office to look at his sister. "All of the uniforms are the same," He pointed out and Ginny looked at him like he was stupid.

"No," She said slowly as if she was talking to a child," I have ones for regular days and one that's tailored to fit better. This isn't the tailored one, Ron. This isn't the tailored one!"

Before Ginny could continue her mental breakdown, the door to Madam Maxime's living quarters opened. The headmistress stepped out followed by somebody who was undoubtedly Fleur's mother. They looked very similar, the same blonde hair and the same ice blue eyes. Veela genetics were obviously very dominant. She was trailed by two Aurors and a woman who was scrawling away on a piece of parchment. At her side, was a silver wolf and Hermione felt the Thrall touch her skin the second that both Ginny, Ron and everybody else in the room froze (minus Hermione and Fleur).

"This is not what I intended to do today, Fleur," The Queen said firmly, her accent practically non-existent. Her Thrall stilled in the air around Fleur. "Is it, Antoinette?"

The woman that was writing nodded, lifting her head. " The Royal schedule did have to be rearranged, oui, Your Majesty." She smiled and Hermione immediately knew that it wasn't a nice smile by the way that Fleur stilled at her side.

"Oh, what a shame." Fleur did an admirable impression of somebody that was worried even though Hermione knew that it was fake. "I am so sorry to keep you from your usual cutting ribbons and kissing babies, Maman."

The Queen pressed her lips together in annoyance before crossing her arms over her chest. Her Thrall increased in pressure towards her daughter, affronted at the disrespect that she had been given. Next to Fleur, Hermione wondered why nobody was doing anything. In fact, the only ones who seemed to be capable of moving at all was the Queen, Antionette, Fleur and Hermione. "Fleur, one of the reasons you were sent here was to curb your more...reckless behaviour."

Fleur huffed, slumping in her seat. "You sent me here as a punishment - and to keep me out of the way before my cousin's wedding."

The Queen blinked once in shock at the announcement and Hermione was struck by how...normal she looked. The Queen looked like she was just a normal mother dealing with the bad behaviour of her normal daughter. "Fleur-"

"I am not an idiot, Maman!" Fleur yelled, standing up as her Thrall appeared - almost suffocating against Hermione's skin - and her silver bird faded into existence on her shoulder. "I know exactly why I am 'ere - so you can keep me out of the way before Clara's wedding!"

"And do you blame me?!" The Queen said slowly," After you've caused yet another scandal!"

Both Thralls hung heavy in the air as Hermione watched as Ron turned purple and Ginny was completely frozen in her seat.

"And what about 'Arry!" Fleur countered," 'E was there as well!"

"Your brother has been dealt with - already punished for going along with one of your stupid schemes again. As has his friends for being...weaponised for your own gains!"

There was silence for a moment. The shouting stopped as both mother and daughter stared at each other, sizing the other one up.

"I, however, have been your mother too long to dance to your tune so easily, Fleur," The Queen continued after a beat or two," I know exactly what this was - a stunt to get you kicked out of Beauxbatons. But, it will not work. In fact, expulsion is off the table completely, indefinitely." She snapped her fingers and Antoinette gave Fleur the paper that she was writing on.

It was immediately crumpled up as soon as Fleur read it. "You would not," She challenged.

"I would," The Queen rose to the challenge," Complete revocation of royal titles and privileges until your twenty-first birthday if you even _attempt_ to get kicked out again. Am I clear?"

Fleur didn't answer the question, falling silent suddenly and looking a little pale. On her shoulder, her bird ruffled its feathers.

"Am I clear, Fleur?!" The Queen's silver wolf snarled loudly and Hermione jumped, yelping slightly.

Both Fleur and her mother's eyes darted towards her. She had her eyes trained on the wolf that lowered its hackles before cocking its head to the side as it regarded her.

"You can see them?" The Queen questioned, blue eyes watching Hermione curiously.

"If you mean the wolf and the bird, then yes," Hermione said throwing on a," Your Majesty," as an afterthought.

"Fleur," The Queen ordered, Thrall disappearing from the air in an instant along with the wolf," Go back to your room and take Lord Ronald and Lady Ginevra as well. Myself and Mademoiselle Granger will have to have a little chat."

* * *

Sitting alone in Madam Maxime's office with only the Queen of Wizarding France and her assistant for company, had never been on her bucket list but, then again, neither had being in a bar fight with the Crown Princess of France and her brother either. Hermione wondered if her life was going to keep going in this direction whether or not it would be worth making a bucket list.

It was...awkward, to say the least.

"So, it was Mademoiselle Granger, oui?" The Queen said. She was sitting at Madam Maxime's desk now, hands clasped in front of her. "You are Fleur's roommate?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Hermione said softly. Her leg was bouncing like mad - if only Lavender and Luna could see her now. They would lose their fucking minds.

"Tell me, Mademoiselle Granger - do you know what myself and Fleur are, aside from royalty, of course?"

"Veela, Your Majesty," Hermione replied. She was making a conscious effort to stare at where she rested her hands on her lap.

"Very good," The Queen praised before leaning back in the desk chair," And you aware that Veela have Thrall, oui?" At Hermione's nod, she continued speaking. "Thrall, unlike popular belief, is not a weapon wielded to seduce everybody we meet. It is, in fact, a defence mechanism to protect us. Now, our Thrall is also a representation of our soul, are you following? Oui? Good. Now, it is a part of us as much as a leg or an arm is. The only difference is that it cannot be seen by those that aren't Veela. Now, I find myself terribly curious at how you can see the animal our Thrall creates. Have you always been able to see them?"

This wasn't how Hermione thought that this conversation was going to go.

"Er..." She shrugged," I'm not too sure, Your Majesty. I've never met a Veela before."

The Queen considered the girl in front of her before waving her hand. "Antoinette," She ordered," Rearrange my schedule again - I will need to spend most of my afternoon with the village elders." She looked back at Hermione again, head tilted to the side. "Mademoiselle Granger, I am going to summon my Thrall again and I need you to tell exactly what you can feel and what you can see."

"Er, well," Hermione said a moment later," There's, like, this pressure on my skin, Your Majesty. Sometimes its really distracting, other times I can ignore it."

"And the wolf?" The Queen prompted.

"Its silver, Your Majesty - I don't know what else to say," Hermione said as the wolf walked into her eyeline, sitting neatly at her feet.

"And how solid is she? Very solid? Hazy around the edges?"

"Solid, Your Majesty," Hermione said firmly," Almost like the real thing."

"Interesting," The Queen said before rising," I thank you for your time Mademoiselle Granger and wish you the best for your schooling. Do not be surprised if you receive a letter in a few days from the Clan."

As Hermione watched the Queen leave, she knew one thing.

She really needed to do some research on Veela.

* * *

Come Friday afternoon, Hermione and Ron were lingering in the Sixth Year Common Area, going over their Charms homework together. Ron was struggling but, apart from that, he was doing well. He understood the content so all he had to do was put his thoughts into a proper paragraph. He was sitting on one of the sofas in the room, stretched out over it with his parchment resting on the arm of the seat.

Hermione had taken to sitting on the armchair as she worked, legs tucked under her. She had completed all of her homework that was due in for the next week and was currently balancing her diary on her lap. Padma had still gone unanswered and Hermione wondered if Lavender and Luna were talking to her at school. The four of them had always been close but, Hermione couldn't help but theorise on what had happened to their friendship dynamic now that she had left.

"Where's Gin?" Ron asked as he sucked on the end of his sugar quill - Hermione had given him one of hers after finding out that the French didn't sell any.

"Quidditch," Hermione replied as she skimmed through the old pages in her diary. She looked through all of the notes that had been written in there over the years - writing to each other when they were meant to be paying attention to Professor Binns' lessons, writing to each other during the holidays when Hermione was out of the country. Her lips quirked upwards slightly at the memories before, finally, she reached the page that Padma had used recently. 

It was nothing but ink on paper but it still shot through Hermione's heart like a lance.

She swallowed thickly before closing her diary. She had to stop torturing herself like this - it had been all that she was doing these days, opening the diary, thinking of a reply but never writing it. Instead, she focussed on the song that was blaring through her cheap Muggle headphones. She hummed a few notes under her breath, aimlessly tapping the arm of her seat.

"Doyouneedmetogetsomethingforyou?!" Ron asked suddenly. Hermione looked over at him, highly confused. There was a healthy flush on his cheeks and his breath was a little ragged. His blue eyes were slightly glazed as if he were not looking at her properly.

"Ron?" She asked," Could you repeat that for me?"

He nodded frantically. "Do you need me to get something for you?" He asked, glazed eyes still staring at her - a dopey smile on his face.

"I'm fine, Ron."

His face dropped before he looked up at her again. "Anything!" He vowed," I'll get you anything! Anything you want!"

"Guys!"

Both Hermione and Ron looked up in shock, breaking their odd staring match, glancing over to the door where Ginny was dashing towards them, still in her Quidditch robes and shouldering her broom.

"Hogwarts and Durmstrang!" Ginny yelled as she ran to her friend and her brother.

"Huh?" Hermione asked, eyebrows raising in a mix of shock and confusion. "What?"

"Hogwarts and Durmstrang!" Ginny exclaimed again," They're coming here for the Quidditch competition! They're bringing supporters as well!"


	7. Chapter 7

"This doesn't seem fun."

The Monday morning after Ginny's Quidditch announcement and one day since Lavender and Luna's confirmation that they were joining the supporters, Hermione stood in the morning chill in front of a lake. Ginny and Ron were huddled next to her.

"Students!" Madam Maxime said, her voice carrying easily," Today we 'ave a real treat for you."

"This doesn't look like a treat," Ron huffed under his breath. Hermione was inclined to agree with him. Standing in front of a lake, with little boats lined up on the shore, was the complete opposite of a treat - even for somebody who felt at home in the water like Hermione did.

"As you know," Madam Maxime continued over the grumbles of the Sixth Year students," The Challenge is a few weeks away. Consider this your warm-up in preparation. You will be teaming up with your roommate and whoever gets across the lake first, wins. Of course, magic is strictly pro'ibited."

Hermione almost groaned - she didn't want to team up with Fleur in the slightest, throwing a glance backwards at her would-be partner.

It was no surprise that Hermione saw the princess standing with Karine and Estelle - all three of them making their tracksuits look better than it actually was. They were all giggling amongst themselves and Hermione wondered if Fleur had disappeared with them during the day now. Ever since the Queen had arrived at the school, Hermione and Fleur had seen each other even less than before. Once Hermione had gotten back to their room after the meeting, Fleur had all but disappeared but had clearly taken the time to put a line of tape to split their shared wardrobe in half. The message was clear but Hermione wasn't sure why Fleur didn't just put a line of tape on their floor as well.

Fleur flopped down onto her bench on the boat without even a glance in Hermione's direction - propping her head up on her fist, looking bored as she pulled her sunglasses over her eyes.

"Do you want to lend a hand?" Hermione asked, grabbing her own oars and beginning to row.

"Non, not really," Was Fleur's reply.

Hermione bit back the crude insult that was on the tip of her tongue. She glanced over the terrain. The water was calm and it seemed easy enough to row across the water even if Fleur was going to be no help at all.

"You are making the singing face again."

Hermione scowled at Fleur. Suddenly, it was harder to keep back the insults which was only made even worse when, out of the corner of her eye, Hermione spied another boat pull ahead.

"Can I ask you a serious question and get a truthful answer?"

Fleur considered her for a moment before shrugging. "Only if I can ask the same."

Hermione glanced at the water again. The wind had picked up and suddenly, it was looking more and more like the Black Lake and she wondered if there were Grindylows in there as well. She pulled on the oars again.

"What did I do to make you hate me so much? I get the whole brat comment, which given how you were acting that morning, was completely fair."

"I do not 'ate you," Fleur shrugged," I do not even dislike you." Her cheeks were slightly pick due to the cold and one of her hands dragged in the water as Hermione attempted to row them. "I just say whatever comes to mind - sometimes I am nice, sometimes I am not. It depends, really."

"And the comment the other day? About me singing or crying?"

"It was not personal." Fleur shrugged again - a lazy, barely lifting of her shoulders. "I thought that you were going to start singing or crying. Now." She leaned forward and smirked. Hermione knew that if she could see Fleur's eyes then they would be alight with amusement - she was glad that she couldn't see them though, because, honestly, Hermione found that look very attractive even though she knew that she shouldn't. "My turn." She looked out over the lake. "You can see the Thrall animal, oui?"

"Yes," Hermione said. Her arms were aching and they weren't even halfway across the lake. "You knew that though."

"I want to test it though," Fleur huffed. Her Thrall appeared in an instant and her silver bird was perched on her shoulder. "Well?"

"Yes I can see it," Hermione said, already tired of this line of conversation," Yes, it is silver and yes, it is solid. Anything else?"

Fleur didn't answer and, instead, her bird swooped from her shoulder to rest on Hermione - who jerked suddenly on the impact and nearly dropped her oars. Fleur giggled slightly. "Per'aps you were right, _mon pétale_. I 'ave severely underestimated you."

"Thanks...I think?" Hermione said.

"Do not thank me," Fleur said primly," Do not let it get to your 'ead."

Hermione rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath," Or what? You'll get your friends gang up on me after class again?"

She hadn't expected Fleur to hear her and certainly hadn't expected Fleur to straighten her back and look at her in confusion. "What friends?"

Hermione glanced across the lake to where Karine and Estelle were lazily rowing their boat - doing more talking than actual rowing. Fleur followed her gaze before laughing and flicking her hair off of her shoulder. "Karine and Estelle? 'Ardly friends, _mon pétale."_

"You hang out with them all of the time."

"And?" Fleur scoffed," Does everybody you 'ang out with qualify as a friend?"

"Yes."

Fleur scoffed again before grabbing her oars and pulling them towards her quickly. The boat lurched forward suddenly and Hermione almost yelped at the suddenness of it all. Fleur's bird - which was still sitting on Hermione's shoulder - preened its feathers proudly at the action. They shot ahead of Ginny and her roommate - who were aimlessly turning in circles. Hermione glanced across the lake again. Ron and his roommate were struggling as well, their boat rocking around.

Fleur kept rowing. Her movements were surprisingly graceful and, not to mention, strong.

"Are you going to 'elp me or not, _mon pétale?"_

For once Hermione didn't argue against the obnoxious nickname - she didn't need a dictionary to look up what this one meant. She grabbed the oars and pulled. Fleur issued instructions every now and then and, surprisingly, Hermione obeyed without argument until they were side by side with Karine and Estelle. Fleur dropped her oars just as their boats collided slightly.

Both girls turned around in sync before smiling at her. " 'Ello, Fleur," They both said in a singsong tone.

" 'Ello ladies," Fleur chirped before, to Hermione's horror, she stood up.

"Fleur!" Hermione yelled. The boat was rocking dangerously now and, for a moment, Hermione was worried that they were going to capsize. But, Fleur had her feet firmly planted on her bench with her hands on her hips. Her bird, which was resting on Hermione's shoulder still, chirped in warning even though neither Estelle nor Karine could see it. 

"So quick questions, darlings," Fleur continued like Hermione hadn't even spoken. She had the same smile on her face that she had had on in the pub and Hermione knew that she wouldn't like what the princess did next. "Did you two attempt to bully Granger over 'ere?"

"Fleur," Hermione said through gritted teeth," Sit down!" She reached to pull Fleur down by her jumper but her hands got bat away.

" 'Ardly bullying, darling," Karine replied," We were just reminding 'er zat she 'ad taken ze place of somebody...well, somebody more deserving." She finished her statement with a little giggle that Estelle joined in with. Fleur, however, did not.

She scoffed before shaking her head. "Who?" She said," Cecille? Cecille Billeud should be thanking 'er lucky stars that she was not sent 'ere. It is not Granger's fault that she is smarter than Cecille. Granted, my mother's Crup is smarter than Cecille but the point stands."

Karine and Estelle looked shock and Hermione wanted nothing more than to just fall into the water and have the Grindylows take her at this point.

"You do not like 'Ermione eizzer," Estelle blurted out," You said zat she was boring and she only cared about studying."

"Those things are true," Fleur replied before shrugging," That does not mean that I do not like 'er."

Hermione almost scoffed. "You can keep saying that," She muttered," But it still doesn't make any sense."

Fleur ignored her - yet again - as she stared down at Karine and Estelle. "Apologise to 'er," She said.

Hermione wasn't sure who looked more shocked, her or the two other girls.

"Darling - you can not be-" Karine began.

"I am deadly serious," Fleur interrupted," And do not call me 'darling'. Tell Granger that you are sorry for being nasty and it will not 'appen again."

"Oh for Merlin's sake," Karine said, standing up on her own bench," You are being ridiculous, Fleur. You can not make us doing anyzing - princess or not."

Estelle glanced across the lake anxiously and Hermione followed suit. Apparently everybody was watching the confrontation now. "Kari-"

"So you refuse to apologise?" Fleur scoffed and raised her chin, nose crinkled and face in a sneer - which really shouldn't have been as attractive as it was but Hermione blamed her inability to think rational thoughts in the presence of a pretty girl for that idea.

Karine spat something in French that Hermione couldn't translate - although she got the general idea that it was used as an insult. A muscle in Fleur's jaw ticked before she dropped her smile and slammed her foot down hard on the side of Karine and Estelle's boat.

Their boat tipped and the girls screamed and then Hermione's boat tipped and she finally managed to pull Fleur away from the edge.

Somehow, Hermione managed to keep the pair of them centred enough for the boat not to fall into the water but Karine and Estelle were not so lucky.

Fleur was grinning again, her cheeks pink as she whipped around to face Hermione. " 'Arry taught me that trick!" She exclaimed, excitedly," I 'ad no idea that it would work!"

* * *

Hermione and Fleur had been declared the losers of the boat race for unsportsmanlike conduct but Fleur didn't seem to care much at all as she stepped onto the shore again with her windswept hair and pink cheeks - a smirk on her face as Karine and Estelle still floundered around in the lake. As far as Hermione was concerned, she and Fleur had gotten off easy with their punishment but, as always, Fleur was making a mountain out of a molehill.

The pair of them were currently in one of the store rooms, sorting through the equipment needed for the Challenge. As organising things was one of her favourite things to do, Hermione didn't mind it much. 

Hermione was sat in the centre of the room on the floor, counting out tent pegs. Fleur was sitting atop one of the tables, cross legged and watching Hermione work with an odd look on her face - head tilted to the side. There weren't many lights in the room so they worked in the dim glow of the dying flame. It reminded her of the times when Lavender would join her in the Gryffindor Common Room when Hermione was too worried to sleep. It was almost...cosy.

"Have you ever done this before?" Hermione asked in an attempt to alleviate the awkwardness she felt at having the princess stare at her.

"What?" Fleur asked," Camping?"

"Camping, hiking, going outside in general."

Fleur didn't look like the type of princess from Disney movies - the ones that were at one with nature, that enjoyed walking through a forest. Fleur looked like the type of princess that went to fancy dinners with her fancy friends to cause her own version of trouble.

Fleur scoffed, throwing the compass that she was fiddling with onto a bag of pegs. "I 'ave gone shooting," She boasted," The Muggle way - I am very good at it."

"Do you see any guns here?" Hermione deadpanned.

Fleur let out a short bark of laughter. "I do not get the big deal about this. They cannot just leave us in the woods for that long. It is a lawsuit waiting to 'appen. Besides," She shook out her hair," It is just another thing to put in the promotional material along with 'chosen school for royalty'."

"That really bugs you, doesn't it?" Hermione commented as she worked," Being part of the promo material."

Fleur wrinkled her nose before looking away. "Nothing 'bugs' me."

Hermione rolled her eyes before continuing to separate supplies. She didn't truly believe Fleur but didn't bring it up anymore - Fleur had made it clear that they were not friends and Hermione wasn't in the habit of delving into the deep dark secrets of somebody that wasn't her friend. Instead of speaking, she threw Fleur a pack of pegs.

"Put that into bag nineteen."

Fleur - for once - did as she was told before sitting down in front of Hermione on the floor, cross legged and straight back - perfect posture.

" 'Ave you done this before?"

"Done what?" Hermione hummed as she checked the list again.

"Camping, 'iking, going outside in general," Fleur parroted Hermione's earlier words.

The English witch shrugged as she grabbed some matches. "Yeah," She said before a fond smile spread across her face," Back at Hogwarts, we got two weeks off from school. The first week I would stay with my Aunt for Christmas and the second week, I used to fly out to Greece to see my Mum's parents." She paused slightly at the memories. "They usually take me to the Menalon Hiking Trail - it runs through Gortynia. We go almost every year."

"I...I 'ave never 'eard of it," Fleur said softly. She was packing up the bags as she talked. "Is it nice?"

"Very," Hermione replied," What about you? If you don't go outside then what do you do?"

"Shooting," Fleur shrugged delicately, one shoulder a little higher than the other," The Muggle way. It is very - I am not sure of the word in English. Soothing? Relaxing?"

"Therapeutic?" Hermione offered.

"Oui, the-ra-peu-tic," Fleur sounded the word out as she said, taking great care on getting it perfect. It reminded Hermione slightly of the Queen and wondered if Fleur was under pressure to make her English as perfect as her mother's was. "I never told you at the bar - before...everything 'appened - but you speak very good French. Your accent was nearly non-existent. Do you know any other languages?"

"A splashing of Greek phrases," Hermione said. Her face felt a little warm after Fleur's unexpected compliment and she was glad that the lighting was dim so the other girl couldn't see her blush. "A tiny bit of Latin and old Germanic for help when I did my Ancient Runes OWL."

"You took the Ancient Runes OWL?!" Hermione looked up in shock at Fleur's surprised tone. "The Clan school did not even offer it!"

Hermione shrugged. "I was the only one in my friend group that did it," She said with a smile," What about you? What languages do you speak?"

"French and English and Veela, of course," Fleur said sourly," 'Arry speaks more than me - I never 'ad the patience for languages. My English is suffering now because of it."

"Your English is good Fleur - you have time to improve if that's what you really want," Hermione said as she moved to grab the boxes of matches nearby.


	8. Chapter 8

Hermione sat on the steps of the palace. She was having a bit of trouble keeping still - whether it was excitement at seeing Luna and Lavender again or worry at seeing Padma, she didn't know. Ron had scampered off after breakfast, muttering under his breath about getting something that Viktor Krum could sign - Hermione knew that he would be absolutely floored when he found out that she and Viktor were on a first name basis - while Ginny had gone to change into her Quidditch robes for the team's last practice before tomorrow's matches.

"Hermione!"

Her head shot up and in seconds, she was running across the grounds to her friends. There was an excited squeal from somebody and immediately, Hermione was wrapped up in a tight hug from Lavender while Luna rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet, clapping her hands in happiness. "Lavender!" Hermione exclaimed, returning the hug before wriggling out of her friend's grip to tug Luna into a hug as well. "Luna! Did you guys miss me?"

"Oh but of course!" Lavender laughed," Without you, I am practically failing my NEWTs since Luna's selfish arse won't let me copy from her."

Hermione smirked before grabbing the hands of her two friends and began to tug them back towards the school - where the rest of the Quidditch team and supporters were heading. Hermione felt comfortable in the throng of Hogwarts students even though she stuck out like a sore thumb in her blue Beauxbatons robes.

"So," Lavender wiggled her eyebrows as the three of them (plus a few other sixth years) were sat in the dining hall," Any cute French boys that you can hook me up with?"

Hermione rolled her eyes fondly as she reached for a tea cake. As much as she loved the French cuisine, she was glad that Beauxbatons had thought ahead and ordered some British food beforehand. She had to admit, it had taken her a while to get used to such light meals. "I don't know about _cute,"_ Hermione said," But there is a boy that, once you get over the fact that he's a right prat, is quite nice."

"Oooh," Lavender grinned as she helped herself to some bangers and mash," Point him out when he turns up."

"Will do," Hermione said as she took a bite of her own food. The room was just beginning to fill up with students from all three schools when Hermione's eyes glanced around and connected with Padma's - who was sitting on the opposite side of the room with some of her teammates. They both looked away quickly and tried to insert themselves back into their respective conversations.

"What's our line-up?" Hermione asked Luna.

"Hmm," The other girl mused," Diggory is captain and seeker. We have Padma, Angelina and Katie as our Chasers with Samuels from Ravenclaw and Lucian Bole from Slytherin as our Beaters. Oh, and Slytherin's Kevin Bletchley as our Keeper."

"Decent team, then," Hermione muttered, still desperate to keep her eyes from straying too close to where Padma was, undoubtedly, watching her again.

"Decent enough," Lavender commented dryly," If it wasn't for the fact that Samuels keeps trying to ask me out."

They all peered around to see Samuels' lovestruck expression - almost as if somebody had doused him with a love potion. "He's a decent bloke," Hermione said.

"He's a pig," Lavender scrunched up his nose," Before we left, he drooled over his shirt, Mione! And then threw up when he tripped over somebody's broom! He's a mess and I will not be seen associating with him!"

"Alright there, Miss Picky-Picky," Hermione joked, spearing one of Lavender's untouched sausages," I'd say that we've got our work cut out for us. Durmstrang are alright although they have Viktor so there's that."

"And Beauxbatons?" Luna prompted. Demure as she may be, she was also definitely competitive.

"No idea," Hermione said," I haven't seen them play against another school before."

"But, you'll be supporting Hogwarts, right?" Lavender jumped back in as she reached into her bag and threw Hermione a Gryffindor tie and her old school robes. "Hogwarts for life? Yeah?"

Hermione grinned at them and winked, reaching to grab her tie and robes - which elicited cheers from her friends. "It certainly is not 'Ogwarts for life," A recognisable voice from behind had Hermione rolling her eyes and stiffening when a hand rested on top of her own outstretched one.

"Fleur," She said through gritted teeth before turning to the girl," To what do we owe the pleasure?" Nothing had changed much between the girls since their detention in the store room together. Fleur continued with her obnoxious nicknames but no longer seemed to actively try to antagonise Hermione so much.

Both girls ignored the shocked," That's Princess Fleur?!" from Lavender as they stared at each other.

"You can not wear _those_ clothes," Fleur wrinkled her nose up in disgust at the Hogwarts robes still sitting on the table," You are Beauxbatons now, _ma petite souris_."

"First of all, don't call me that." Yet another thing that Hermione had to look up in her dictionary. "Second of all, why can't I? I was Hogwarts first!"

"But you are Beauxbatons now," Fleur said with a smirk, an emotion sparkling in her eye that Hermione had never seen before. Her Thrall appeared by her shoulder, hopping around excitedly as it spread out its allure to the other inhabitants of the table, rendering them incapable of speech. "Besides," She sniffed," Black is not your colour." She retracted her hands in favour of straightening out Hermione's collar and smoothing out the wrinkles on her blouse. "You look much prettier in blue."

Satisfied with her work, Fleur returned to her two companions, smirk on her face as she glanced back at Hermione - finding the Hogwarts uniform untouched and her cheeks a pretty pink colour.

"Blimey," Lavender breathed out," Now I'm comfortable in my heterosexuality but...Merlin..."

Hermione blinked a few times to clear her head before she tugged the clothes from the top of the table. She didn't put them on though, just held her old Gryffindor tie in her hands as Lavender and Luna chattered away in front of her.

"Hey, Mione," Lavender said," D'you wanna join us in the guest dorms?"

"Sure," Hermione said," As long as I don't bump into Padma then I'm game."

Lavender stood in sync with Luna and they both looped their arms around Hermione's.

"Believe me," Luna said with the most annoyance Hermione had ever heard in her voice," You aren't the only one avoiding her."

* * *

The guest dorms, as Hermione assumed, were as luxurious and stunning as the student dorms and she thoroughly enjoyed sitting on Luna's bed and exchanging information like they all used to do when Luna and Padma (Hermione winced thinking about her) would sneak her and Lavender into Ravenclaw Tower on the weekends.

So, with a smile on her face and two and a half hours after dinner, Hermione began the trek back to her own dorm room. Both of her friends had offered to share their beds with Hermione but she had explained that the magic of the palace made it impossible to fall asleep in a room that wasn't her own - which also made it impossible for students to fall asleep in class as well. On her way back, she bypassed Seamus and Dean making out in the corridor - it was clear that they both were treating Beauxbatons just like they treated Hogwarts - and she said a polite hello to them both. She got a shock hug from Angelina Johnson - who launched into a sudden story about Terry Boot blowing up a cauldron because Hermione wasn't there to tell him not to add porcupine quills - before she could get back to her journey.

"Herm-own-ninny."

Hermione froze in the hallway before whipping around suddenly to come face to face with Viktor Krum. She shook her head at him, exasperated at his attempt to scare her before she smiled.

"Viktor, it's good to see you again," She said with a laugh before throwing her arms around him. He responded instantly with a hug of his own, standing up to his full height (lifting Hermione off the ground in the process) and swung her around.

"It is good to see you again as well." His words were slow but perfectly enunciated and, once he had finished, he flashed her a smile.

"Your English has gotten much better," She said.

He puffed out his chest at the praise before he went back to the proper Viktor - the goofy, in love with playing with Hippogriffs version of Viktor, not the International Quidditch star Viktor with his gruff voice and thick accent.

"Thank you, Herm...Hermio...Herm-own-ninny but I still cannot say your name." He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, face slightly red at the confession.

"It's fine," Hermione waved it off," If it helps, technically, you're not saying an English word so it doesn't count."

"I vill try harder," He vowed before smiling down at her with that same dopey smile that he had during the cultural exchange in third year when the pair would study in the library together.

"Your English is fine," Hermione replied with a fond smile on her face, head tilted to the side as she spoke to him. It didn't seem to matter to either of them that they were in the middle of the corridor and Hermione certainly didn't seem to care that she only had ten minutes or so before curfew. She hadn't seen Viktor in so long and letters from him only came so often - Durmstrang only let students send letters home once every two months anyway and Hermione was flattered that she always got one.

"Vell," Viktor said, straightening his spine and clearing his throat," In that case Herm-own-ninny, since I am here for the veekend, I had hoped to ask you if you vould like to accompany me-"

He broke off suddenly a moment before Hermione sensed it. The errant breeze lapped at her skin and Hermione felt the weight of Fleur's bird on her shoulder as it swooped down to rest there. Hermione looked at it in shock. She knew that she must have looked a right melt staring at (what Viktor perceived as) her empty shoulder. A hand clasped her other one and Hermione immediately knew who it was without having to look.

"I am afraid, Monsieur Krum," Fleur's smile was plastic and fake - the kind of smile that was in all of her media pictures since she was young because, Hermione reminded herself bitterly, while Viktor may have been a Quidditch star but Fleur was royalty, like, genuine royalty," That I must take 'Ermione from you now. We need to get back to our dorm. If you will excuse us. Come along, _ma petite souris._ " She sneered at him before walking down the corridor. Her Thrall launched from Hermione's shoulder and disappeared into a puff of silver.

Hermione flashed Viktor an apologetic smile. "See you tomorrow for the matches?"

"Yes," He nodded at her," I vill see you tomorrow."

Hermione hurried to catch up to her roommate, lest she be locked outside for the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> British Slang:  
> A right melt - a big idiot/ looking really stupid


	9. Chapter 9

"Blimey," Lavender said as she, Hermione, Luna and Ron walked up to the Quidditch field together," Imagine doing this in late October back home!" Hermione had to admit, her friend was right. The three of them always used to nearly freeze themselves when they attended the first Quidditch matches of the season back at Hogwarts.

Ron - who had been slightly enamoured with Lavender since meeting her - puffed out his chest before speaking," Yeah - the weather is pretty great here! During Summer, most of our lessons happen outside!"

Luna looped her arm around Hermione's as they walked. She lowered her voice. "Chances that Lav asks to owl him once the matches are over?"

"One hundred percent," Hermione whispered back," I don't think Ron is getting out of it." They both shared a glance behind them to where Lavender and Ron were talking to each other - matching smiles on their faces.

It was warm for a Saturday morning but Hermione didn't mind. She was in no danger of overheating, dressed in a pair of jeans and a short sleeved polo shirt with the buttons undone. Her Gryffindor tie was hanging out of her back pocket, ready to put on during the match. Luna and Lavender, however, had clearly dressed for the Scottish Highlands because they were both done up tightly in layers of clothes. Both of them were already wearing their ties to show their support, having them loose around their necks.

"Come on," Luna said as they approached the stadium," Let's go and get seats - the lovers can catch up in their own time."

Hermione smiled as she pulled Luna along, weaving through the row of rising benches were supporters of all schools sat. They passed by a group of Durmstrang boys from the cultural exchange and said a polite hello before moving on. Settling in their seats, Hermione leaned on Luna's shoulder - looking at the competition brackets.

Durmstrang and Hogwarts were first followed by a ten minute break before Durmstrang and Beauxbatons played each other. After that was another break followed by Hogwarts and Beauxbatons facing off. 

"Do we know who is flying for Durmstrang?" Hermione asked as Lavender and Ron joined them.

"Krum of course," Luna hummed," I think that Goncharov girl is as well but I don't know who else."

"Please tell me that Lee is commentating," Hermione said with a grin.

"Of course!" Lavender butted in," He wouldn't let us leave without him!"

They all shared a laugh - except for Ron who had to be told who Lee Jordan was and how amazing he was. As they laughed, Hermione felt a weight on her shoulder that was becoming increasingly familiar. She turned her head slightly to see Fleur's silver bird sitting on her shoulder, nipping slightly at the shell of her ear. She rolled her eyes at it - the bird was usually much nicer than her mistress. Speaking of, Hermione glanced around the area only to look down at the bench below where she was sitting. Fleur was sitting in front of her, back straight and shoulders squared as she stared out onto the empty pitch.

"Don't you want to go to her?" Hermione muttered to the bird under her breath. The bird looked at her like she was stupid before stepping closer and settling in the crook of her neck. Hermione narrowed her eyes - she just knew that if Fleur turned around then she would be wearing that stupidly attractive smirk on her face. "Alright then," Hermione murmured when it became apparent that the bird wasn't going to move," Just don't cause trouble."

"ALRIGHT, LADIES, GENTS, MY NON-BINARY PALS AND ALL OTHER GENDERS INBETWEEN! WELCOME TO THE MATCHES THAT DECIDE IT ALL! FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW I'M LEE JORDAN-" Cheers echoed from the Hogwarts supporters, Hermione included "-AND I'LL BE YOUR COMMENTATOR TODAY. I'M ALSO HERE TO EXPLAIN HOW THE COMPETITION WORKS. FIRST OFF, WITH HAVE HOGWARTS VS DURMSTRANG THEN DURMSTRANG VS BEAUXBATONS AND, FINALLY, HOGWARTS VS BEAUXBATONS! STILL WITH ME?"

The crowd cheered and, from the commentator box, Hermione was sure that Lee was grinning.

"POINTS ARE SCORED AS SO: TWO POINTS AWARDED FOR A WIN, ONE POINT TO EACH TEAM FOR A DRAW AND NO POINTS FOR A LOSING TEAM. EASY, RIGHT? SO - WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, LET'S GET TO IT! OUT COME THE TEAMS. PLAYING FOR HOGWARTS WE HAVE CAPTAIN CEDRIC DIGGORY AS SEEKER. ANGELINA JOHNSON, KATIE BELL AND PADMA PATIL ARE CHASERS. OUR BEATERS ARE JASON SAMUELS AND LUCIAN BOLE AND, FINALLY, OUR KEEPER IS KEVIN BLETCHLEY!"

More cheers and Hermione tugged her tie out of her back pocket, slipping it around her neck.

"AND HERE COMES DURMSTRANG! NOTE THE DIFFERENT COLOURS ON THEIR UNIFORMS SHOWING THEIR POSITION. HERE COMES CAPTAIN ALEKSANDRA DOLMATOV, CHASER. NEXT TO HER ARE HER FELLOW CHASERS, GAVRAIL LECHKOV AND MIKAEL JANSSON! JUST BEHIND THEM ARE THE DURMSTRANG BEATERS, LINNEA PERSSON - FAIR WARNING WITH HER, SHE'S GOT A STRONG ARM - AND ALEXEI TURGENEV, HE'S GOT GOOD AIM. FOLLOWING THEM IS TATIANA GONCHAROV - KEEPER - AND OF COURSE, NOT ONLY DURMSTRANG'S SEEKER BUT BULGARIA'S AS WELL, VIKTOR KRUM!"

From the other side of the stadium, the Durmstrang students erupted into cheers - stamping their feet on the ground in support of their team. Fleur's bird jumped in shock at the sound as did its owner.

"LET'S GO!" Jordan screamed into the microphone," THE CAPTAINS SHAKE HAND AND- THE BALLS ARE UP! QUAFFLE CAUGHT BY JANSSON OF DURMSTRANG - QUICK PASS TO LECHKOV, LINES UP TO SHOOT AND- OOH! JUST SAVED BY BLETCHLEY. I SHOULD WARN YOU FOLKS - BLETCHLEY HASN'T LET IN A GOAL SINCE TRAINING THIS YEAR BEGAN! NOW, PATIL HAS THE QUAFFLE, A DUCK AND WEAVE AROUND DOLMATOV. QUICK PASS TO JOHNSON - AMAZING GIRL, SHE IS. JOHNSON PASSES TO BELL WHO- THAT'S GOT TO HURT! TURGENEV HITS A BLUDGER AT BELL WHO FAILS TO DODGE!"

Hermione almost flinched at the scene. Katie Bell free falled to the ground for a while, slipping from her broom before Diggory swooped in to catch her while Angelina grabbed her broom. Katie was back on her broom in moments and Hermione had to commend her strength. Padma - even the thought of her name had Hermione's stomach twist uncomfortably - had once accidentally hit a Bludger at Hermione and Lavender. Her aim had been terrible and both girls had been hit at once - leading to the pair of them being sent to the hospital wing and, by Merlin, it hurt like hell.

"PATIL STREAKING TO THE GOAL AND - SHE SCORES - TEN TO ZERO TO HOGWARTS!"

Hermione cheered with the rest of her friends. As much as she loathed to admit it, Padma was a superb Chaser - ducking and weaving from Bludger attacks with ease.

"-AND JOHNSON SCORES AGAIN. HOGWARTS HAS THREE HUNDRED POINTS WITH DURMSTRANG TRAILING BEHIND ON ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY. DOLMATOV HAS THE QUAFFLE, A DUCK AND WEAVE FROM ONCOMING BLUDGERS AND- HAH! TAKE THAT! BLETCHLEY SAVES THE GOAL AND- WHAT A MINUTE? IS THAT...? NO WAY! FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT JUST MISSED THAT! CAPTAIN DIGGORY IS NOW OUT OF COMMISION DUE TO KRUM'S SIGNATURE MOVE - THE WRONKSI FEINT! OH, HERE WE GO, BELL IS STREAKING UP THE PITCH AND-"

"Your boyfriend is quite good, huh?" Lavender nudged Hermione in the side, wiggling her eyes scandalously.

Fleur's bird, that was actually doing a good job of not being distracting, chirped loudly in Hermione's ear at Lavender's question. Hermione flinched slightly at the noise but didn't bring attention to it. If she didn't know better (but, she did know better, because she was Hermione Granger and not even a bird that nobody else could see would stop her logic), then she would have said that the bird sounded a bit annoyed.

"He's not my boyfriend, Lav," Hermione hissed back, slapping her friend on the arm," And you know this!"

Lavender rolled her eyes before shrugging. "We'll see."

"- AND KRUM HAS DONE OUT! ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY POINTS TO DURMSTRANG. THAT BRINGS UP OUR FINAL SCORES UP TO THREE HUNDRED FOR HOGWARTS AND TWO HUNDRED AND NINETY FOR DURMSTRANG. FOR THE OVERALL SCORE BOARD, IT BRINGS HOGWARTS TO TWO AND DURMSTRANG TRAILING WITH ZERO POINTS. NOW, FOLKS, WE'LL TAKE A QUICK TEN MINUTE BREAK BEFORE GETTING DURMSTRANG AND BEAUXBATONS FACING OFF!"

* * *

The match with Durmstrang and Beauxbatons led to a tie and each team got one point on the scoreboard. The Durmstrang students were, notably, annoyed at their solid spot in last place even if they did have Krum on their team but had started to run a betting pool on who would win. Currently though, they were ten minutes into the Quidditch match where Hogwarts and Beauxbatons faced off with each other. Beauxbatons was already ahead by one hundred and eighty points.

"-DUCK AND WEAVE- OH, WEASLEY JUST HAD TO SPIN TO MISS THAT BLUDGER!" 

Ron cheered for his sister while, next to him, Lavender groaned loudly. Hermione watched, rapt attention, as Padma tried to intercept the Quaffle only to collide with Katie Bell who was attempting the same thing.

"TEN POINTS FOR BEAUXBATONS! COME ON BLETCHLEY! STOP FUCKING US OVER!"

" _Ma douce,"_ Fleur said softly. Hermione looked down, knowing that she was being addressed. 

She watched wordlessly as Fleur stood in front of her. The princess' hands reached forward and deftly untied Hermione's Gryffindor tie and pulled it from her neck. Fleur wound it up around her hand before tucking it into her pocket before smiling at her roommate. It wasn't her usual smirk or that dangerous grin that she wore when they were at the bar or on the lake. It was almost...affectionate. Hermione mentally scoffed at the idea. Affectionate described baby Alex when he crawled across the floor to pat his older sister on the cheek. Affectionate definitely did not describe Princess Fleur of France as she sat back down on her seat with Hermione's tie tucked into her pocket.

"PATIL HAS THE QUAFFLE! ATTEMPTED INTERVENTION BY BEAUXBATONS' CHASER DEJARDINS BUT - THERE YOU HAVE IT FOLKS! QUICK PASS TO BELL, WHO SWOOPS IN AND- LONG THROW TO JOHNSON WHO CATCHES! AMAZING GIRL, ANGELINA JOHNSON IS, I'VE BEEN SAYING IT FOR YEARS! THROW BACK TO PATIL WHO...YES! YES! TEN POINTS TO HOGWARTS! THE CURRENT SCORES ARE FOUR HUNDRED FOR BEAUXBATONS AND TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY FOR HOGWARTS!"

"Fleur," Hermione said. The princess didn't respond. "Fleur," She said again, tapping the girl on the shoulder.

"Oui, _ma douce?"_ Fleur replied, turning around with that stupid self assured smirk on her face.

"Give me back my tie."

"Non."

"Why not?!" Hermione demanded.

Fleur just tapped her pocket with that damned smirk. "I will take care of it."

"OH! QUICK FOLKS, DIGGORY AND BEAUXBATONS SEEKER AVA VANIER ARE RACING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PITCH! COME ON DIGGORY!"

"I don't need you to take care of it." Hermione crossed her arms over her chest," I would like it back now."

"THAT'S IT DIGGORY, JUST A BIT CLOSER AND- OOH! THIS IS A BAD DAY FOR DIGGORY. BEAUXBATONS' BEATERS AUCLAIR AND CLOUTIER BOTH HIT BLUDGERS TOWARDS HIM! NO! "

"You are Beauxbatons," Fleur shrugged - one delicate shoulder slightly above the other.

"SEEKER VANIER CATCHES THE SNITCH! ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY POINTS FOR BEAUXBATONS, BOOSTING THEIR OVERALL SCORE TO FIVE HUNDRED AND FIFTY POINTS!"

Hermione barely registered Lee's voice as she looked down at Fleur. Her bird nuzzled into Hermione's neck once more before flying back to Fleur - who was smirking at her, one eyebrow poised in silent challenge. Hermione thought about rising to the challenge, already opening her mouth before she noticed Padma.

The Chaser had flown close to where Hermione and the others were sitting. She was hovering a few feet away from Hermione, looking at her. Hermione glanced at her once, her stomach twisting uncomfortably before she looked back at Fleur. She closed her mouth, stood up and left the pitch.

"LET'S HAVE A LOOK AT THE SCOREBOARD! WITH THEIR RECENT WIN, BEAUXBATONS HAS THREE POINTS, SECURING THEM WITH THE VICTORY. HOGWARTS IS IN SECOND PLACE WITH TWO POINTS AND DURMSTRANG TRAILING WITH ONE POINT!"


	10. Chapter 10

In the runup to the Challenge, Hermione didn't have time to ponder Fleur's actions at the Quidditch Tournament. Her logical brain could hardly make sense of any of it but, one thing was certain, Fleur had definitely hidden her Gryffindor tie somewhere in the room. It was probably on Fleur's side of the wardrobe (the girl had placed a line of tape down the middle of it to separate their belongings) and Hermione was too cowardly to go through the princess' things to try and get it.

Fleur's behaviour had been odd as well. Sometimes she would pleasant to Hermione, nodding respectfully to her in the corridors and no longer locking her out of the room when she spent a bit too long in the library. But, on the flip side, there were times when she completely annoyed Hermione, letting her Thrall run wild throughout the school as if she just wanted to test if it truly didn't affect Hermione like how it affected others.

But now, as the sixth year class and girls whose roommate was a sixth year girl (because apparently, it would be horribly unfair if some of the sixth year girls couldn't participate because their roommates were in their first and second years), Fleur was in a state of limbo in her attitudes. For one, for bird was perched on Hermione's shoulder like it usually was when she was in one of her rare good moods but, on the other hand, she was staring straight ahead in disgust, her blue eyes hidden by her designer sunglasses that, truly, didn't need to be worn in such weather.

In her hand was a Styrofoam cup that Hermione gathered certainly didn't contain a hot beverage. Fleur had also forgone the uniform of black trousers, and the school jumper along with a water proof coat. In fact the only thing that she was wearing that were in line with uniform code were her trousers although they certainly weren't black and Hermione wondered how she kept her clothes that pristine. She wore a light blue turtleneck along with a fancy leather jacket draped over her shoulders, making it look like she had just stepped off of a runway instead of heading out into the wilderness for two days.

They had to give their wands in to Madam Maxime before they left the school and Fleur had been sour about it - maybe that was why she was huffing and frowning from her spot next to Hermione as the headmistress explained the rules of the Challenge.

"This is the stupidest thing that I 'ave ever 'ad to do," Fleur muttered, taking a sip of whatever alcoholic drink she had brought with her.

Hermione rolled her eyes. She had had good practice at ignoring Fleur's overdramatic nature. "I highly doubt that _this_ is the stupidest thing that you've ever done," She quipped.

Fleur glanced at her and Hermione braced herself for the smart retort but it never came. Instead, Fleur shrugged. "Fair point." She spared a disgusted look at her cup before throwing out the rest of the drink - wine, it was wine that was in her cup. It splattered all over four other girls and they shrieked, jumping up in shock and wiping it off in disgust. They turned hateful glares to whoever threw it before noticing it was Fleur and averting their gazes.

Hermione almost scoffed. Princess privileges, she supposed.

Fleur's bird shifted on her shoulder and Hermione fought her scowl. She moved her hand up and shooed it off. The bird gave her a betrayed look and something that looked suspiciously like a scowl (although Hermione wasn't sure if birds could scowl) before it disappeared into a puff of silver. "Can you stop that?" 

"Stop what?" Fleur replied.

"The bird," Hermione said," Stop sending your bird to sit on my shoulder."

Fleur grimaced and cross her arms over her chest. "I can not control it," She said simply," She does as she likes and I am left trailing after 'er to make sure she does not do something stupid. It is not _my_ fault that she likes you."

Hermione rolled her eyes - a little flushed at having assumed something that was completely wrong. She had just supposed that all Veela could control their Thrall animal after witnessing the Queen do it so easily. Hermione huffed under her breath before turning to her other side to face Ginny.

Ginny shifted her weight, clutching at her Muggle backpack. "I still don't think that this is necessary," She said," I already feel very in touch with nature and highly self-reliant. I don't need to go camping to feel like it!"

"You are such an aristocrat," Hermione snickered - her previous irritation with Fleur slowly fading away.

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Nothing, nothing," Hermione said," But, hey, at least you get to go camping with Noémie. I have to do with _Fleur_ and Ron has to do his with Raphael."

They both turned to look at the two boys who were a little further down in the queue of people that were being given portkeys to pre-decided spots in the woods. Raphael - who vaguely reminded Hermione of a weird mix between Crabbe and Goyle, gave Ron a brotherly kind of punch in the arm before clapping him on the back.

Hermione glanced to Fleur again and felt her heart dip. Her chances of survival for two whole days - not even counting the time that it took for them to find their way back to school - were slowly diminishing. Hermione supposed that it was highly likely that a bear would kill her while Fleur checked her makeup in that little compact mirror that Hermione knew she had packed in her bag. She didn't even know if there were bears in France and, quite frankly, she didn't want to find out.

"Delacour and Granger?" Madam Maxime called and Hermione trudged her way out of line with Fleur behind her," Now, ladies, both 'ands on the book and, one, two, three, _portus!"_

Hermione felt the familiar tug in her navel as she and Fleur disappeared from the school grounds and suddenly reappeared in the wilderness. She managed to stay on her feet, as did Fleur - who surveyed their surroundings with a critical eye and a curled upper lip.

"Well," She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest indignantly," Let us get this over and done with, oui?"

"Fine with me," Hermione replied, shouldering her back and pulling out her compass," Madam Maxime said that the school is always North which is-" She turned around on the spot a few times before pointing. "-That way. I reckon we head back towards school so its easier to get back to it later."

Fleur just shrugged, groaning loudly as she hoisted her own pack onto her shoulders and dragged her feet as she followed after her roommate.

* * *

They had been walking for a while but Hermione wasn't exactly sure how long they had been going at it for. All she knew was that it was long past lunchtime and her feet were starting to ache.

"Do you want to start scouting for a spot to sleep in?" She asked.

Fleur had been remarkably silent for most of the day, only soft grumblings under her breath and the snap of a twig underneath her foot. So, Hermione wasn't truly expecting a proper answer.

She was certainly surprised when Fleur pointed down the hill, into a deeper part of the forest just past a fast-flowing stream. "We will go there," She said in the same princess tone that she had used when trying to make Karine and Estelle apologise. It was a tone that brokered no arguments and Hermione felt herself going along with it.

"Wow," She said as the pair of them headed down the hill," That's actually helpful." She smiled at her roommate. "Good plan."

Fleur laughed condescendingly, flicking her hair over her shoulder. "I always 'ave good plans."

When the pair of them reached the river, Hermione was struck by just how...deep it looked and how fast the water seemed to be running. She grabbed Fleur's arm - surprising the other witch - before tugging her over to where there were some rocks that formed a slippery and uneven path across the water. Hermione turned to face Fleur only to find the girl's eyes trained on where Hermione was still holding onto her, with pink cheeks. Hermione wondered it Veela were more sensitive to the light breeze because, truly, that could have been the only reason why Fleur's cheeks were so bright. "By my calculations," Hermione said," We have a high chance of dying if we try to cross but its also the only way to get across besides jumping which, quite frankly, has an even higher chance of death. What'd you want to do?"

"Give me your bag," Fleur said simply, holding her hand out for it.

"Huh?"

"Give me your bag," She repeated her words slowly, as if she were talking to a small child," I will 'old it while you cross and then throw it to you once you are across. I will then throw you my bag and I will cross. Oui?"

"Er, right," Hermione said, passing her bag over and beginning to cross.

Fleur's bird fluttered overheard, chirping at her while the Thrall lapped at her skin - not as restrictive as usual but present. She was surprised that Fleur was being so compliant with everything but decided not to question it. She had a bad feeling that twisted in her stomach but chose to ignore it. 

Hermione crossed with ease without her bag and she turned around to tell Fleur to throw the bags...only to turn around and come face to face with her roommate already on the other side of the river with no bags in sight.

"Fleur," She said through gritted teeth," Where are our bags?"

Fleur shrugged, that delicate shrug where one shoulder was slightly higher than the other. "In the river," She said, her signature smirk playing on her lips.

"The river," Hermione repeated.

"Oui," Fleur said," The river - do try and keep up, _ma petite lionne."_

Hermione would have yelled at her roommate before she remembered who she was talking to. She knew that this was too good to be true. Hermione glanced from Fleur to the river. She wondered if the bags were floating downstream and if she had time to run down and try to catch up to them.

"They 'ave probably already sunk," Fleur wrinkled up her nose in disgust towards the river," They were very 'eavy."

"They were meant to be!" Hermione snapped back," Because they were meant to help us survive for two days! Merlin Fleur, have you gone completely barmy?"

"Barmy?"

"Nuts, crazy - absolutely fucking insane!" Hermione spat. She didn't usually swear - it was something her father discouraged actually - but in times of stress, the swear words slipped out easily. "What the hell was your fucking plan anyway?!"

"I am so glad you asked, _ma petite lionne,"_ Fleur said. She pushed her sunglasses back so they rested atop her head as she clasped her hands together." I put it together so well. First, I lose our bags - which I did spectacularly, by the way - and then I say that we lost them in the elements." Hermione could scarcely believe what she was being told. Fleur's plan was absolutely nutty and she had heard Lavender, _Lavender Brown of all people_ , come up with a better plan. "We are not even going to 'ave to spend the night. I will send up sparks with my wand and we will tell them what 'appened - very tearfully, of course."

Hermione pinched herself to make sure that this wasn't some kind of fever induced dream.

"One minute we were crossing the river," Fleur simpered," And the next, everything was in the water! We were so, _so_ scared."

"I'm not doing that," Hermione deadpanned.

Fleur snapped back to being her regular self, shoulders raised in her half shrug and bored expression on her perfect face. "It is fine, _ma petite lionne,_ we all process trauma in our own way."

Hermione closed her eyes for a fleeting moment and counted to ten under her breath before straightening her spine and closing the gap between her and Fleur, raising her finger to poke the other girl's chest. "And how exactly are you going to send up sparks?"

Fleur wrinkled her brow. "Did you not 'ear me? I said that I will-" Her hand reached into her pocket,"...Oh..."

"Yes, 'oh'," Hermione hissed," Unless you had forgotten _, Fleur,_ but we don't have our wands. So much for your genius plan!"

"I thought it through!" Fleur snapped back," I knew that I would dump the bags and I thought about the excuse. All I forgot was...the wand, bit."

"You forgot the wand bit!"

"Stop repeating everything I say!"

"Then stop making up stupid plans!"

"Well I will 'ave you know..." She broke off, staring at something just behind Hermione in the trees.

"Fleur?"

" _Mon dieu."_


	11. Chapter 11

Hermione whipped around before freezing on the spot.

She had seen this animal before, once. It was in an animal book that Hayley had purchased her on the tail end of Year Six when she had first come into Hermione's life and wanted to bond with her. Hermione had been reluctant at first, adamant that she didn't need a mother, but, eventually, she had poured over the book just like she did with all of the books that she owned. Her favourite page had been on this animal.

A Lynx.

Hermione had no idea that you could find them in France.

It stood just in the treeline, bright eyes tracking the pair's every moment. She wondered how long it had been standing there, watching them, sizing them up. They were probably going to be its next meal if they weren't careful. They both stilled for a moment before Hermione noticed Fleur moving forward, her hand outstretched towards the animal.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Hermione hissed, reaching to grab the girl but Fleur shook her off easily.

"The lynx is the national animal of wizarding France," Fleur muttered back. She didn't take her eyes off of the animal as she slowly made her way forward," And since I am a princess-"

"Have you gone completely batshit?!" Hermione snarled," You think that the animal understands that? You think that the animal respects rank-"

One of Fleur's perfectly manicured hands reached forward and slotted itself over Hermione's mouth while the other was raised for the animal. "This is the reason stuff like this 'appens in fairy tales," Fleur said as she slowly lowered her hand from Hermione's mouth," The animal and me are bound by our love for this land."

Hermione pinched herself to check that this wasn't a dream again. "That," She said, disbelief leaking into her tone," Is the stupidest thing I have ever heard and my IQ just got lower from hearing it. Fleur, it's an animal!"

Fleur just waved a dismissive hand at her as she inched forward. "Well, it is working, is it not?"

Hermione had to admit, she was right. The animal was staring at both of them, frozen still. Maybe, just maybe (not that Hermione would admit it out loud) there was a method to Fleur's madness.

"Now, all I 'ave to do is-"

Then, in that split second, the animal leapt for them. Hermione shrieked and Fleur screamed, grabbing onto her roommate's arm as they hurriedly stumbled back...falling directly into the river. Hermione's first thought was how cold she felt. She shivered as her body made contact with the icy water. Her second thought was to grab Fleur. The water was deep and, as she glanced to the side, it was apparent that learning to swim had never been high on Fleur's list of priorities.

Fleur splashed and shrieked as she stubbornly tried to keep herself afloat.

Thankfully for her, Hermione had always felt at home in the water and, even though, the river was on a steep incline, Hermione had no problem swimming against the current. She looped her arms around Fleur's middle and pulled them both over to the shore.

Together, they both panted and shivered as they laid on the bank. The temperature had dipped dramatically from the semi-warm weather of this morning. The cold cut through Hermione's bones like a knife when she sat up and inspected her wet clogged clothes. Next to her, Fleur was shivering. She looked like a mess. Her sunglasses hung precariously from one ear and her once flawless hair was drenched in water. Her clothes clung to her body as she looked down at herself in disgust.

Across the bank, the lynx that had tried to attack them was nowhere to be seen.

"I 'ave just remembered," Fleur said as she sat up as well," It is actually the Nundu that is the national animal for wizarding France."

"Well," Hermione said sarcastically," Let's just pray that one of them shows up as well, huh?!"

* * *

Hermione had no idea where they were heading after they escaped the river. They had no map, no compass, no tent and definitely, no food. They had nothing that could help them so, the pair of them picked a direction and started walking. Hermione prayed that they would bump into their classmates at some point, preferably Ginny or Ron who could point them in the general direction of the school so they could at least get dry before they were (most likely) expelled for causing more trouble.

"At least we look like we are in distress," Fleur said, quite unhelpfully about ten minutes ago.

"We are in distress," Hermione had hissed back before they descended into silence again.

The sun had sunk a while ago and the breeze had picked up a chill a while ago which made it impossible for their clothes to dry.

"I thought that you said that you weren't going to try and get kicked out again," Hermione huffed as they stopped for the night, sitting on a nearby rock.

"I am not trying to get kicked out," Fleur replied, relaxing next to her," This is about the school not being safe for me - there is a difference."

"Do you ever realise that this isn't just about you?" Hermione huffed, turning on her side.

"Do not be so dramatic," Fleur chided," We will be fine."

"Really?!" Hermione spat as she shivered," I'm probably picking up hyperthermia right now because you thought that it would be a good idea to try and talk to a lynx or whatever the hell it was that you were trying to do!"

"You are not going to die," Fleur said," At the most, we will give them a fright, Maman will see that this is a dangerous place for me, she will bring me 'ome and you will 'ave the room for yourself. That is what you want, oui?"

Hermione shivered again, tucking herself into a tiny ball as if it would help to ward off the cold. "Believe it or not," She said through gritted teeth," I'm kind of getting used to you." She shivered again as the breeze cut through her.

"Oh this is ridiculous!" Fleur muttered. Hermione didn't get the chance to ask which part was so ridiculous because, in seconds, Fleur had pulled Hermione flush against her front, arm snaking around her waist and holding her close.

Her body was as wet and cold as Hermione's but there was a slight bit of warmth that came from the pair of them being so close. Hermione wrinkled her nose in annoyance - it should have been impossible for Fleur to smell that good after hiking, falling in a river and then hiking some more.

It was probably some other princess privilege.

"I am sorry that you got caught up in this, Granger," Fleur said softly. She had buried her head in Hermione's neck, drawing warmth from it.

"Are you actually apologising to me?"

"Non," Fleur said, her warm breath was on Hermione's neck.

"Fine, be a jerk then," Hermione said," But for the record, I would have forgiven you."

Fleur chuckled. "I do not need your forgiveness," She muttered," I will be gone in a few days, back 'ome, where I belong and you can continue living your life."

Hermione didn't know which part set her off but she felt rage bubble beneath the surface. Maybe it was because she was stuck there in the cold and damp with an obnoxious princess laughing at their situation.

"You're the worst, you know that?" She murmured.

"Huh?!"

"You. Are. The. Worst!" Hermione hissed. She rolled around in Fleur's arms, staring indignantly at the shocked princess in front of her. "What's so hard about your life?! Boohoo, you miss your home! Do you ever realise that maybe I miss England? Oh no, your parents want you to have a good and interesting education! Do you ever stop and think that most people don't have the money to sent here?! What a shame, you have two parents and they both care about you! That's more than most people have!"

Fleur froze for a moment as she watched Hermione explode. "You..." Fleur's voice was soft," You do not 'ave two parents?"

Hermione opened her mouth to respond before closing it. She sighed before rolling over again. "No, I don't."

There was silence for a moment, just the sound of the wind rustling the leaves. "Which one?"

Hermione wasn't sure which one Fleur meant - which parent she had or which one she didn't have. She didn't really care either way. "My Mum died when I was little."

There was more silence before..." 'Ow little?"

Fleur's arms had tightened around Hermione's body but she was too numb to feel it. "Two."

Silence again.

"That is very little." Fleur's voice sounded different.

"It is."

Hermione didn't tell her anything else. She didn't tell Fleur how Hayley was a great stepmother but came too late in Hermione's life for it to mean anything. She didn't tell Fleur about how it was difficult for her to form a bond with anybody that acted motherly towards her after being without one for so long. She didn't tell Fleur about how Auntie Andromeda and Tonks were more like older sisters than motherly role models. She didn't tell Fleur about how she would probably be closer to her dad if he hadn't tried to be all of the things for her for so long. Hermione hadn't even told any of her friends about things like that and Fleur was, undoubtedly, not a friend. But as Hermione reflected on it, maybe she was no longer an enemy either.

"I am sorry," Fleur said softly and Hermione was struck by exactly how apologetic the other girl sounded.

"Thanks," Hermione replied," I mean...it's not like I remember her or anything."

"Is that better or worse?"

It was a totally unexpected question coming from Fleur and Hermione pondered her answer. She had asked herself that question again and again over the years ever since she had known what having a mother meant.

"I don't know," She said finally," It's like missing something that you've never had. Like if you've never had chocolate and somebody is like,' don't you miss chocolate' and you don't know because you've never had it. It's like that, only, oh shit, it's not chocolate that you've never had."

"It is your mother instead."

"I guess."

Hermione sighed as she pillowed her head with her hands and stared off into the distance. She could make out the outlines of the trees nearby but not much else. This wasn't how she imagined today would go.

"At the bar," Fleur said after a quiet minute or two," You said that you liked boys and girls."

Hermione wondered if it was 'unpack everything personal about Hermione Granger' day.

"Yeah," She replied," Equal opportunity dater but, bisexual, if we're being technical. Is there anything else you want to know? Scars, childhood trauma, ancestry?"

Fleur laughed - an actual laugh, not her posh chortle. She actually laughed. "If we are stuck 'ere, we might as well get to know each other, non? And me too, about liking girls and boys. Well, non, not really boys. What I mean is-" She let out a breath," I tried boys but they did not, 'ow you say, stick?"

"Yeah, you've got the right word." She relaxed slightly in Fleur's arms as the princess moved closer for more heat. "Do people know?"

"Oui," Fleur nodded and Hermione felt her smile," My Papa is glad that I will not get pregnant without a Veela ritual and Maman is glad that I told 'er. 'Arry knows, of course, and Gabrielle, my little sister, she does not fully understand but she is fine about it. What about you?"

Hermione shrugged. "My dad knows so does my step-mum, Hayley, and my little brother is a baby so he wouldn't understand anyway. I was planning on telling my grandparents this winter but I'm not sure how they'll react."

Fleur hummed in acknowledgement as a chill ran through her, causing her to cling even tighter to her roommate.

"I appreciate this whole 'sharing our secrets things'," Hermione said," But it still doesn't make up for the crap."

"I am aware," Fleur said softly," But it is, as you English say, a step in the right direction?"

"Yes, Fleur," Hermione replied," It is a step in the right- Did you hear that?"

" 'Ear what?"

Hermione sat up and glanced around. There was a sound from further in the woods and the unmistakeable light from a torch. "That!"

Then, as if by fate, Hermione heard that voice of Ginny saying," I told you that we should have set up camp earlier!"

"What is that?" Fleur sat up as well, her arms still tightly woven around Hermione's waist.

"It's rescue!" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I have no idea if you can find Lynxes in France but for the sake of this story, you can


	12. Chapter 12

"Ladies," Madam Maxime said as Hermione and Fleur slumped in the seats in front of her desk," I am not entirely sure what to say."

After stumbling across Ginny and her roommate in the forest, they had managed to get their hands on a Muggle flare that they had shot up into the sky, causing one of the on duty teachers to come and collect them so they could go back to school. Madam Maxime had sent them to bed immediately after she had seen the state that they were in before telling them that they would meet to discuss what had happened once all of the groups had come back.

So, that was how Hermione and Fleur ended up in her office a second time. This time, despite what Fleur thought, Her Majesty the Queen hadn't arrived to scold them.

"I was told a very odd story from Miss Weasley," Madam Maxime said, shaking her head softly in exasperation," It was somewhat confusing and she mentioned a lynx?"

"Oui," Fleur said quickly, nodding along," We were attacked by a lynx which is 'ow we lost our stuff and fell in the river. It was very traumatic, was it not, Granger?"

For all that Hermione had said about not going along with Fleur's plan, she found herself nodding. "Lynx," She said," Trauma."

Madam Maxime sighed, running a hand over her face. "You would not 'appen to be lying for the princess, would you, Miss Granger?"

Hermione looked away, nibbling on her inside cheek. She had never been the best liar.

"Because," Madam Maxime did not wait for a response," Miss Delacour's friend Miss Chevrolet insists that Miss Delacour told 'er a few weeks ago that she was not planning on staying at Beauxbatons during the Winter and that she 'ad a new plan to get 'erself sent home, is that true?"

Hermione opened her mouth to defend Fleur - even if she couldn't wrap her head around why she would possibly want to - but her roommate beat her to it.

"It was my fault," Fleur said," It was irresponsible, selfish and reckless and 'Ermione 'ad no idea what I was planning until it was too late. I asked 'er to lie for me and threatened her with expulsion if she did not."

Hermione gaped - the last part was definitely not true. She blinked in shock a few times, as if it was going to clear the multitude of thoughts that were circling in her head. Was Fleur really nice under all of that bitchiness?

Madam Maxime just stared at Fleur, lacing her hands together on her desk. "Do you really 'ate it 'ere that much, Miss Delacour?"

Fleur shrugged her shoulders in her signature shrug. Thrall lapped at Hermione's skin as the bird settled in Fleur's lap. "I thought I did," The Veela said softly," But - the girls that helped us were...nice enough and 'Ermione - Miss Granger - 'as always been kind to me even if I do not deserve it. So, I really do not know anymore." She looked a bit uncomfortable as her hands moved to smooth out the plumage of her bird. "Maybe there is something to be said about this 'ole 'sisterhood' thing."

"It might have been more effective without the air quotes but thank you, Miss Delacour," Madam Maxime sighed," Laundry duty for you, Miss Delacour, for the next four weeks and you as well, Miss Granger, for lying for a friend."

"But-"

"Would you like to add cleaning duty to that, Miss Delacour?" Madam Maxime as she wrote something on a scroll of parchment.

"Non."

"Good, now girls - 'ead of to class. Miss Delacour, a note to give to Monsieur Dubois and Miss Granger, a note to give Monsieur Laurent."

Both girls took the slips of parchment before leaving the office.

By the time the day was over and, after multiple questions on whether she or Fleur got expelled, Hermione was exhausted, dragging her feet from her usual study area in the communal area and towards her room. When she was arrived and fell face first onto her bed, there was a soft, musical laugh next to her. Hermione moved her head to the side to see Fleur sitting on the other bed, cross legged and posture straight as she sat on her bed in her nightdress, towel drying her hair.

"Are we friends now?" Hermione asked as she rolled over onto her back and blindly grappled for her laptop," Because Madam Maxime called us friends."

Fleur shrugged as she dropped her towel onto the floor. "I suppose so," She said," We went through a traumatic experience together - I 'ave 'eard that bonds people."

"A traumatic experience that was totally your fault," Hermione reminded her as she booted up her laptop so she could Skype her father. She was glad that Beauxbatons had a stronger WIFI connection to Hogwarts - who had only recently allowed Muggle technology into the castle.

"The provenance of the trauma does not matter," Fleur said.

"Provenance of the trauma?" Hermione echoed," Merlin, you really speak the Queen's English."

Fleur just laughed again, head thrown back. "I am a princess," She said.

"Yeah, yeah," Hermione muttered," I know."

Fleur stood gracefully after a moment of thought. She crossed the space over to the wardrobe and pulled on the line of tape. She balled it up in her hand before throwing it into the bin under her desk. "There," She said," Now we are friends."

* * *

Hermione supposed that laundry duty was probably the easiest thing that they could have been given. It wasn't that strenuous and, actually, quite easy once they got into the rhythm of it. 

Fleur, as usual, disagreed. 

She didn't seem to understand that they could have asked them to do something much worse than folding clothes and washing them.

"This is barbaric," She said as she picked up a basketful of wet sheets to place on the drying rack," Practically medieval."

Hermione rolled her eyes from where she sat on top of the table, folding a skirt and placing it into the growing pile next to her. "Now, I'm not an expert in French history or anything but you do know that back in the old days, witches and wizards hadn't invented these handy cleaning spells to use yet, right?" She quipped.

"Nobody likes a smartass."

"But I am a smartarse," Hermione replied," It's practically ingrained in my very being."

" 'Ave I ever told you that I adore your accent?" Fleur said suddenly. Hermione blinked in shock, the skirt in her hands nearly falling from her limp limbs as her face grew hot. "It is very nice - _smartarse._ And you say stuff like 'barmy' and 'prat'. The English say such fun things, Granger."

"You know," Hermione couldn't meet Fleur's eyes knowing that the girl had caused her to blush," I don't know where you've picked up this habit of calling me by my last name but stop it - it makes me sound like your servant."

Fleur scoffed before laughing - it was different than her usual haughty one, this was more airy and musical. "You would make a terrible servant," She said," You would probably spill wine on me for your own sick pleasure."

Hermione shrugged as she finished folding the skirts. "Maybe after I finish school, I'll apply for the job - making your life a living hell for what you put us through during the Challenge." She had been joking but she saw how Fleur's smile dimmed and she looked away.

"I am sorry," The princess said," Truly."

Hermione cleared her throat and shrugged. She didn't like sincere Fleur one bit - flighty, pain-in-the-ass Fleur Delacour is much easier to deal with, a hell of a lot easier to keep at a distance as well, easier to not hopelessly fall in love but, no, Hermione shook that particular thought from her head as she glanced at her roommate. "I know you are - besides, we didn't die. We actually didn't come close to dying - I've come closer to dying before."

"Oh?" Fleur asked, eyebrow quirked," Do tell?"

They started to fold the shirts was Hermione talked. She talked about the one time that she, Luna, Lavender and Padma - pretending to not notice the way Fleur noticed that she bit out the name like it was poison - had a detention in the Forbidden Forest in their second year. She talked about how she and Padma had gotten separated from their friends and stumbled into a nest of Acromantulas. She talked about how one of the smaller ones bit her, venom seeping into her bloodstream at an astounding speed. She talked about how she, with her mind woozy and her limbs failing her, had managed to set fire to a tree. She talked about how she and Padma had stumbled out and into Hagrid - the gameskeeper - before Hermione collapsed. She talked about how she had woken up in the hospital wing two months later. She talked about all of that as she stubbornly tried to ignore the fact that she had been staring at the pretty smile that Fleur wore on her pretty pink lips.

"Maybe you did die," Fleur joked, nudging Hermione in the side lightly," And this is all just a figment of your imagination."

"Maybe," Hermione agreed," Because, honestly, trying to teach a princess how to do laundry seems like hell on Earth."

"Poor, put-upon, Granger," Fleur deadpanned but was silenced when Hermione put her finger up.

"No," She said," We're going to do this right." She picked up a towel. "First of all, we hold a towel like this." Fleur copied her. "And then we bring those two corners together." Fleur copied her dutifully as Hermione issued a few more instructions before both of them had two towels folded perfectly on the table in front of her. "Now," Hermione teased," Let's see if the student has become the master."

"I know 'ow to fold a towel." Fleur rolled her eyes as she caught the towel that Hermione had thrown at her, snapping it open before...completely screwing up the fold.

"You, Your Royal Highness, are a Royal Disaster," Hermione laughed, hopping down from the table and standing behind Fleur, placing her hands on the other girl's and guiding her movements. "Corners together," She reminded Fleur, guiding her hands to properly fold the towel. It was only then that Hermione realised how close they were standing to each other. Fleur was practically leaning back into her. Hermione, while she was short even though she was standing on her tiptoes, could just about rest her chin on Fleur's shoulder if she so wished.

Stepping away, she cleared her throat, rubbing the back of her neck as Fleur turned around with her pretty pink cheeks. "Anyway," Hermione said awkwardly," You'll figure it out." 

Fleur opened her mouth to say something but didn't manage to get the words out before a tawny owl came swooping into the room and delivered Hermione a letter. It flew out directly after that and both girls peered at the letter.

"I know that 'andwriting," Fleur commented as Hermione pulled it open," What does it say?"

"It says..." Hermione furrowed her brow as she blinked, rubbing her eyes before blinking again," Fuck, what is that?"

"What is it?" Fleur asked, closing the gap between them to glance at the paper. Just as she had recognised the handwriting as belonging to the second in command of the Clan, she also recognised the flowing script as Veela - the language, of course, not the species. She didn't know why the clan would write to Hermione in general, not to mention in Veela either.

"It says that..." Hermione narrowed her eyes," I have to go see your clan or something? Merlin, what the hell?!"

"You can read it?"

"Kind of? I guess?" Hermione offered up as she rubbed her eyes," It's weird - it's like it rearranges into English or something. What the hell is going on?!"

"I 'ave no idea."


	13. Chapter 13

The trip to the Clan Grounds took place on the Saturday after the letter had been received. 

Fleur had decided that, even though her presence wasn't requested, she was going anyway and had bundled herself up nicely in an expensive pair of jeans and a cream turtleneck with a fashionable jacket thrown on top. Hermione felt a little out of place standing next to her in her old, ratty jeans and an old Quidditch jersey that Padma had bought her when she, Hermione, Lavender and Luna had been taken to see a Holyhead Harpies match.

"The Clan Grounds is in a forest in Auvergne," Fleur said as she and Hermione trudged down one of the spiral staircases together. They were only going for the afternoon but Fleur had packed a suitcase and was wheeling it behind as the pair of them walked. "The village is in a clearing along with the Council 'ouse - that is where we are going."

Hermione just nodded. She still had no idea how she was meant to deal with the fact that Fleur was suddenly her friend and, apparently, being Fleur's friend meant being touched all of the time. Either with a hand around her waist or arm on her shoulder, Fleur was always touching her in some way, shape or form. It was an odd arrangement, namely because she had never really had any friends or family that were touchy feely type people.

Luna was always respectful of Hermione's lack of desire for physical contact as was Lavender. Padma had been as well. Mr Granger was as equally as awkward with physical contact as his daughter was and Hayley, while very touchy feely, always knew when to back off. Of course, Andromeda and her family were quite restrained but were eager to give Hermione a hug if she needed one. Fleur, on the other hand...Hermione couldn't quite work out why Fleur liked to keep physical contact at all times.

"Interesting," Hermione rolled her eyes as they walked, zipping up her old raincoat. She wasn't entirely sure where Auvergne was but she was definitely not taking a risk with the weather.

"Do not sass me, _ma petite sirène,_ " Fleur scolded lightly and Hermione felt an odd thump in her chest at being addressed as such.

"I wasn't sassing you!" She exclaimed," I was just..."

"Sassing me?" Fleur smirked, eyebrow quirked.

"Don't push it, Delacour," Hermione said," I have no qualms with pushing your arse into the dirt - princess or not!"

Fleur just chuckled for a moment as she rested her arm around Hermione's shoulders. "Come on," She said," We should get going - Madam Maxime will get annoyed if we keep 'er waiting any longer."

Sure enough, Madam Maxime was waiting in front of them in front of the school. "Ladies," She said as she passed them an old book," I expect you back at school before curfew. Now, good luck and I 'ope that you 'ave a good time."

Fleur smirked in answer as Hermione murmured her thanks before both of them touched the portkey and felt a familiar tug in their navels before they disappeared from sight.

* * *

The portkey to the Clan Grounds was slightly disorientating but much less so than the portkey that they had used to get to the forest for the Challenge. Of course, it also deposited them a lot further from the territory than Hermione had assumed.

"The Clan 'as wards surrounding the village," Fleur explained as they walked down an old, beaten down path," The Grounds are sacred to us - it would not be good if anyone, Muggle or Wizards stumbled across it on accident."

Hermione nodded as Fleur talked, arms linked together. "Of course, Maman is Clan leader but she is so busy ruling over the rest of France that we 'ave a Council of Elders that look after the Clan while she is away. When she is 'ere, they act as advisors."

"And we're here to see the Council, right?" Hermione asked as they walked, slightly nervous as they got closer and closer.

"Oui," Fleur said," The Council 'ave quite an open mind so we will be fine. Ah - 'ere we are!"

Hermione looked to where Fleur was pointing. Sure enough, as the forest opened up into a clearing, the village appeared. Hermione squinted her eyes to look past the wards - the buildings and houses taking on an odd sort of quality that made it seem like they were underwater. Or, well, they looked like what Hermione supposed other people saw when they looked underwater. She, herself, had always been able to see perfectly well in any type of water.

"Who's that?" She asked as she and Fleur approached the border, chin jerking to where she could just make out a figure standing on the other side of the wards.

"Aveline," Fleur replied," Maman's second in command - we are related. I think that she is Maman's aunt three times removed or something? I am not sure though."

They stopped just outside the wards and Fleur grasped Hermione's hand with a smile. "To get you through the wards," She explained with a wink before walking through.

Hermione's hand was dropped quickly when Aveline - who had grown a lot clearer now that Hermione had managed to get past the boundary - pulled Fleur into a tight hug. _"Princesse Fleur!"_ She exclaimed," _So good to have you back with us! The clan was entirely too upset when Queen Apolline enrolled you at Beauxbatons."_

 _"I have missed this place as well,"_ Fleur laughed," _Although Maman is upset that the trouble I cause has followed me to school."_

 _"Bah!"_ Aveline said, waving her hand," _I think that Her Majesty forgets that I helped raise her! She got into even more trouble when she was younger!"_

Hermione stood to the side of the little interaction.

"Is zis 'er?" Aveline asked once she had released Fleur from the hug. "Mademoiselle Granger, oui?"

"Er, yeah," Hermione said awkwardly. Thrall was thick in the air (not just from Fleur who had let her own loose with her bird perched happily on her shoulder) and the fox that stood at Aveline's feet was staring at her curiously - head cocked to the side before it moved to sniff at Hermione.

" _Bonjour_ , Mademoiselle Granger," Aveline said as she too stepped forward," I welcome you to ze Clan Grounds - it 'as been many years since we 'ave 'ad ze honour of 'aving a non-Veela join us 'ere."

"The honour is mine?" It was phrased more like a question than a statement but the Aveline seemed to accept it before swooping in to give Hermione a tight hug.

"You two are just in time for lunch," Aveline said as she released Hermione from the hug," Come along, come along."

Fleur slipped back to Hermione's side - her suitcase being hovered next to her by Aveline who guided the two of them through the village.

It was unlike any other place that Hermione had been before. Hogsmeade didn't hold a candle to the Clan Grounds. Rows and rows of cottages were lined up around elaborate fountains engraved with - what Hermione gathered were - Veela stories. Children ran along in the streets, stopping and gaping and whispering to each other when they noticed Fleur walking the paths. It struck Hermione how easily Fleur fit in here - ever since the letter had arrived all Fleur could talk about was how annoying the village was and how much trouble she used to get in.

The three of them ended up in one of the biggest buildings in the area. The outside was built using white marble and gleamed in the afternoon sun. 

When she walked in, Hermione was suddenly pulled every way possible as a multitude of Veela looked her over and hugged her tightly. To her left, Fleur was getting the exact same treatment and Hermione was able to surmise that it was a common Veela trait to be touchy feely.

"Leave zem alone," Aveline said, swatting away the other Veela," Let zem eat first before you badger zem!"


	14. Chapter 14

The food - as Hermione had come to assume from the French - was excellent but gone way too soon. After lunch, Hermione and Fleur were brought into one of the Council Rooms. Now, Hermione was expecting some kind of hall with a long table at the centre and seats surrounding it but, instead, she and Fleur were lead to what could only be described as a glorified living room. She supposed, as she sat down on one of the sofa with Fleur, that wanting lavish things was more of an overall Veela trait rather than just a royal one. 

"Her Majesty tells us that you have never met a Veela before starting school at Beauxbatons, oui?" The Council member that was talking had obviously shed her accent many years ago - sounding more like a native English speaker rather than having a light accent like Fleur did.

"Yeah," Hermione replied.

"She also said that you can see the animal that our Thrall creates, oui?"

"Yeah."

"Can you name the ones that you can see here?"

Hermione glanced around the room before listing off the animals that she could see. Of the nine members of the Council, there were two foxes, one dog - that looked vaguely like a cocker spaniel -, one lion, two tigers, two snakes and one salamander. Of course, Fleur's bird was present as well - swooping onto Hermione's shoulder where it settled next to her neck.

The Council member hummed lightly under her breath before turning to the others - switching from English to the Veela language without a second thought. It came in bits and pieces to Hermione's ears - sometimes she could hear a proper word while other times it irritated her ears to listen to it.

"You can understand?" One of the other Council members picked up on Hermione's uncomfortableness.

"Sort of?" Hermione murmured, rubbing one of her ears as Fleur and her bird peered at her - worry evident on their faces. "It's, er, weird."

"Weird, how?" The first Council member asked, hand held up for silence.

"Like," Hermione grappled for the words that would best describe it," It's like...Like back in my fourth year in Defence, we learnt about Merpeople. We listened to a bit of Mermaid song and everybody else heard it as screaming but I could pick up bits and pieces of what was being said - it's a bit like that...Some words I understand, other words irritate my ears."

She glanced around the room to see the Elders sharing looks with each other. One of them stood and left the room quickly.

"Adele is going to find the old Clan chronicles," The first Council member explained when she noticed Hermione and Fleur's confused looks," She will be back soon." They both nodded in acknowledgement. "Now, Hermione, you mentioned about Merpeople song...Have you ever met a Mermaid before?" Hermione nodded, confused at what this had to do with anything. "Can you tell us about that interaction?"

"Er, alright." Hermione really didn't understand how this would help but far be it for her to bring that up," It was...It was after class, in the Summer and my friend - Padma." She tried to ignore the way that Fleur noticed her clenched fists at the name of her former sort-of-best-friend/sort-of-girlfriend. "We were mucking about on the jetty and she fell in. I jumped in after her, of course but we started getting dragged down by Grindylows." She shivered at the memory of their long fingers dragging her deeper into the depths of the lake, screaming all the while as they pulled her in deeper. "The Merpeople came out of nowhere - gripping tridents and attacking the Grindylows. One of them grabbed me and pulled me out and two others grabbed Padma. They put her on the jetty and did those odd bow thing where they put their hands on their hearts before going back to the lake...Why?"

She wasn't too sure what the looks that the Council members were giving her meant but the fact that they all wore the exact same look, all of them staring at her at once, was unnerving. Even their Thrall animals were staring at her, some of them leaning forward slightly, watching her with a newfound curiosity. At least Fleur seemed to be as stumped as Hermione was about what was going on.

"Do you zink-" One of the Council members began - the one with the salamander.

"Impossible," Said the one with the dog," Zey 'ave been extinct for years."

"Disappeared," Aveline cut in sharply," Zey disappeared - we do not know if zey are extinct." Her words silenced the low murmur of the group before she turned to Hermione. "Do you mind, Mademoiselle Granger, if we run some tests?"

"What kind of tests?" Hermione asked. 

"A blood sample, if you will," Aveline explained," A few tests with our Zrall's - how weak ze Zrall can be before you can not see ze animals anymore and ze like - along wiz some tests about 'ow you react to certain environments."

"Yeah, yeah, that's fine."

* * *

" _Please, Aveline,"_ Fleur begged using a tone that Hermione had never heard her use before," _Only an hour - I only need one hour!"_

Aveline looked at the girls. She glanced at Fleur who looked ready to get on her knees - something that Hermione was sure that the girl had never done before - just to get her own way. Then, she glanced at Hermione, who was pulling her raincoat back on after being subjected to rigorous tests that she didn't even understand.

" _I'll give you forty-five minutes,"_ Aveline said finally," _And you need to be back at the border fifteen minutes after that, do you understand?"_

_"Will you tell Maman?"_

_"Well,"_ Aveline said as she grabbed her walking stick," _I am meant to tell Her Majesty when you go off on your own but I am slowly going deaf so I didn't hear what you just asked."_

Fleur squealed and, no sooner had Hermione zipped up her jacket, she was grabbed by the princess and hauled out of the door. The Council members still milling around looked at them with an odd sort of fondness as Fleur pulled Hermione along without a care in the world. When they managed to get outside, Fleur continued pulling - uncaring of the attention that they had garnered as they walked.

Veela stopped in the street to make way for Fleur as she barrelled ahead with Hermione - who had accepted her fate - being dragged behind her.

"Most of the Clan are educated 'ere," Fleur explained as they walked," If they are born Veela, of course, everybody in the Clan 'as a 'ouse 'ere as well. Maman and me used to live up there during the week before going back to palace on the weekends to see Papa and 'Arry." She pointed up to the top of the largest hill in the village where an ornate home was built.

"It's very nice," Hermione replied," This whole place is beautiful."

"Oui," Fleur said, hand laced tightly with Hermione's as they walked," It is."

"Where are we going anyway?" Hermione asked when it became obvious that Fleur wasn't just taking her to see the sights.

"A surprise," Her roommate replied, still single-minded in her purpose as she expertly weaved through the streets and around passers by - her hand still tightly woven with Hermione's. Her bird flew overhead, looping around as it chirped and soared above them.

"We are 'ere!" Fleur announced suddenly as they neared the outside of the café," Stay 'ere, _ma petite sirène._ You will love this - I promise!"

Fleur pushed her way into the shop while Hermione stood outside awkwardly. It seemed that even without Fleur at her side, she still attracted a little bit of attention. Keeping her eyes to the ground, Hermione rocked back on the balls of her feet. She could make out Fleur in the window of the shop, standing by the counter and excitedly pointing at something that was on the menu above the counter.

Seconds later, she appeared with two cups in her hand.

" 'Ere," She placed a cup of warm hot chocolate and a few napkins into Hermione's hands," It is the best thing you will ever taste."

Hermione was sceptical at that but didn't choose to challenge it. She looked at Fleur for a moment before glancing at the drink. 

"It is a mixture of milk chocolate and white chocolate," Fleur said, draining a quarter of her own drink," Maman would let me buy one, once a week if I was good. It is the best I 'ave ever 'ad!"

Hermione smiled slightly at the princess' excitement before taking an experimental sip. Her taste buds practically exploded and she nearly moaned. Fleur was right - it was the best hot chocolate she had ever tasted.

"You have froth all over your lip," Hermione commented as they leaned against the outside wall of the shop five minutes later.

Fleur frowned and moved to wipe it - only she didn't fully get it off.

Hermione rolled her eyes reached forward with a napkin and wiped the remaining white froth from Fleur's lips before looking away quickly - not catching the blush that rose on Fleur's cheeks and the odd little wing flutter that her bird gave at such an action.


	15. Chapter 15

Sitting in a café in the Wizarding side of Domme, was definitely one of the best things Hermione had ever experienced. She sat next to Ginny, eating a slice of cheesecake while Ron sat in front of them.

"I'll be back," Ginny said as she rose from the table and dusted the crumbs off of her clothes," I've just got to go to the post office."

Hermione and Ron watched her go - exchanging a look between each other, eyebrows raised in confusion.

"Why does she need to go there?" Ron muttered.

Hermione shrugged. "No idea. It must be really important - she's been talking about getting a coffee here all week."

Ron mumbled something under his breath before glancing around and swiping the remaining pastry from his sister's plate. He did that a lot and Hermione had to roll her eyes. There wasn't a day that went by that Ron didn't steal food from Ginny. Of course, for somebody that did it so often and without stealth, he was hardly ever caught.

"I suppose," Ron said as he crammed food into his mouth," Hey, did you hear about-" He suddenly dissolved into a story about a rumour that was currently going around the school about how an owl had flown into Ginny's Arithmancy class and sat in front of her without a care in the world.

Hermione hummed a little tune under her breath, tapping the table with one hand and cutting a piece off of her cake as she listened to Ron's wild tale of the Arithmancy professor trying to get the bird to leave by throwing an equation triangle at it. He had just gotten to the bit where the teacher had tried to vanish the bird from sight when he broke off suddenly.

At first, Hermione hadn't noticed, scooping a piece of cake into her mouth as she looked up, prompting Ron to continue. Only...he didn't...

He looked at her, eyes slightly glazed as he looked at her - mouth open. "D'you want more cake?" He asked suddenly, indicating to her nearly empty plate," I can get you more-"

" _Non, non,"_ A passer-by had stopped as well, eyes glazed exactly like Ron's. He didn't look much older than Hermione did and she recognised him from the corridors at school - a seventh year, perhaps? "You must allow me to get you more," He said," It would be my absolute honour to do so."

Hermione stared in disbelief at the boy. They had never once talked before but there he was, leaning against the table with his mouth gaping like a fish and eyes glazed over. "So," He continued on, that same far off look in his eyes," Do you want me to get you something?"

"I'm fine," Hermione said, eyebrows shooting up to her hairline.

"Are you sure?" The boy prompted," Anything at all!"

"Alright!" Ginny appeared out of nowhere, shocking everybody," I'm back...Is something happening?"

"No!" Hermione said quickly," Come on - we should get back to school. Coming, Ron?"

Ron blinked a few times, shaking his head softly as if to clear his thoughts before he stood as well. "Right, yeah, yeah."

"Who's the letter from?" Hermione asked as they walked.

"Er...no one," Ginny replied, a blush staining her face.

* * *

"Where 'ave you been?!" Fleur asked as soon as Hermione stepped into their room, hurrying forward to wrap Hermione into a tight hug.

"In the village," Hermione said," Why? Have I missed something?"

"Non," Fleur shook her head, looking away - cheeks a little pink but Hermione couldn't understand why," I was just, er, looking for you today. I thought that you would be in the library."

Hermione shrugged, moving to sit on the edge of her bed and reaching for her hairbrush - on the way back to school, Ginny had thoroughly ruffled her hair and it had gained many knots that Hermione didn't have to patience to untangle later on in the day. "I was with Gin and Ron," She explained," We went to this café in town."

Fleur nodded in acknowledgement before turning to the bedside table, her fingers running over the edges of Hermione's photographs.

"Who are they?" Fleur asked.

"Them?" Hermione shrugged, checking which picture Fleur was looking at," They're my friends."

"Yes, thank you for that," Fleur said sarcastically," You know what I meant!"

Hermione rolled her eyes, putting her hairbrush to the side before she turned and tapped the smiling face of Luna. "That's my friend Luna Lovegood - she's in Ravenclaw, not that you understand what that means, but she's really smart. That one-" She pointed to Lavender, who posed in front of the group with a stupid look on her face "-Is Lavender, back in first year, we hated each other."

"And that one?" 

"...Padma..." Hermione replied, unable to tear her eyes away from where picture Padma was holding picture Hermione close.

"She was at the Quidditch match, oui?" 

"Yeah, she was."

Hermione was glad that Fleur seemed to understand that she didn't want to talk about Padma. So, instead, she looked at the other pictures. "This one is your Papa, oui?" She asked and Hermione nodded. She pointed at the woman in the picture. "Your step-mother, Hayley." Hermione nodded again. "And your little brother, Alexander - 'ow old is 'e now?"

"He's gonna be two in the Summer," Hermione replied, wincing slightly as her hairbrush snagged on an uncomfortable knot.

"And this is your mother, oui?" Fleur picked up the last picture, staring at it intently before holding it up next to Hermione's face. Her brow furrowed for a moment before she used one hand to grasp Hermione's chin (who went bright red in response) and manoeuvred it so Hermione was in the same position as her mother. Then, Fleur nodded - satisfied with her work as she placed the picture back into its original position.

"You look like your mother," She said softly," You are both very pretty."

"I don't know about me," Hermione replied with a little scoff," But Mum was really pretty."

Fleur smiled at her before holding out her hand. "Give me the 'airbrush," She said at Hermione's confused look," You are going to take ages and then we will never get to the laundry room." Hermione rolled her eyes at Fleur's dramatics but she did as she was told. Fleur patted the space in front of her and Hermione sat down quickly.

" 'Ow was the café?" Fleur asked as she made easy work of her roommate's curly hair.

"Weird."

" 'Ow so?"

"I mean, like, not the food or anything," Hermione responded quickly," But just, I don't know but all of sudden Ron stopped talking and offered to buy me more food and this seventh year did the same thing. Like - out of nowhere. To be honest, I thought that you were there - their eyes went all glazed over like when you use the Thrall."

"That is very odd," Fleur said as she worked," I was nowhere near the village today - I was, er, looking for you."

"All day?" Hermione teased.

"Shut up," Fleur muttered and her silver falcon nipped Hermione's skin as she finished the braid that she had been doing.

"Come on," Hermione said, getting up from where she had been sitting in front of Fleur - hand outstretched for her roommate to take," We should probably get to the laundry room."


	16. Chapter 16

"Laundry duty?" Lavender asked over the laptop screen.

The ban on Muggle technology at Hogwarts had finally been lifted and, although the WIFI was shit, Lavender had been all too happy to call Hermione up so they could chat. Luna was - in Lavender's words - Merlin knows where, probably searching for a Cumple Horned Snorkack or something as equally as ridiculous so it was only the pair of them on the call. 

Hermione was sitting in bed, leaning back against her pillows with her Transfiguration homework spread out around her as she balanced her laptop on her lap. "You say that like its the worst punishment ever."

Lavender just shrugged, face slightly pixilated. "It's bizarre," She replied," Can you imagine getting laundry duty at Hogwarts? What would they make you do anyway - wash the Quidditch uniforms? Haven't they heard of detention in France?"

Hermione shrugged, sucking on the end of her sugar quill as she glanced over the questions in her homework. "It's not actually that bad," She said. Hermione wasn't exactly enjoying doing the laundry of everybody but her time with Fleur was surprisingly fun. Whatever had thawed between them during the Challenge and their time spent on the Clan Grounds had, remarkably, stayed unfrozen and while Hermione still regarded Fleur as a posh Agent of Chaos, she had to admit that it had been fun to spend time together without interruptions.

"What was that face about?"

Hermione snapped out of her daze in confusion, eyes darting back to the screen. "What face?"

"That face! You're doing it again!" Lavender shrieked," Have you landed a Frenchie, Mione?"

"Shut up!" Hermione hissed but Lavender laughed, shaking her head.

"I know that face," Her friend said, pretending to think about it for a moment," And that face says 'Hermione Granger has a crush'!"

"What?!" Hermione demanded," N-NO! It does not!" She made a conscious choice not to look at the bottom of her screen where her own face was shown. She could already feel her cheeks heat up and she didn't want to check her camera just to see the red blush that she knew was forming. Lavender opened her mouth to respond just as the door was thrown open. Hermione jolted slightly as Fleur bounded in, hair swinging behind her as she did so.

"Oh good!" She exclaimed once she saw Hermione sitting there, dropping onto her roommate's bed with a distinct lack of royal grace. "You are 'ere!"

"What's going on?!" Lavender squawked on the other end of the call," Is that the princess? Mione what's-"

"Okay, got to go, love you, bye, bye," Hermione trilled at the screen before ending the call and slamming her laptop screen closed, tucking it into its resting point underneath her bed. Lavender may not have been incredibly academically gifted but she had good instincts and Hermione just knew that if her friend's eyes saw Fleur then she would know...Not that there was anything to know of course, because Hermione decidedly did not have a crush on Fleur Delacour with her pretty eyes and her pouty lips and her-

"Who were you talking to?" Fleur asked as she crawled up the bed, causing Hermione to move to the side slightly so Fleur had space to sit next to her.

"My step-mum," Hermione lied before gesturing to the letter that Fleur was holding in her hands," What's that?"

"This, _ma belle,_ is freedom," Fleur replied. Hermione tried to ignore the way that her heart clenched at the nickname. She told herself that it was just Fleur Speak, everybody was darling or sweetheart or my love - she wondered if it was because Fleur couldn't remember people's names.

Instead of voicing those thoughts though, Hermione said instead," Freedom? Are you forgetting that we just came back from the Clan Grounds, like, a few days ago?"

" 'Ush!" Fleur said, lightly smacking Hermione with the letter," Besides, _ma belle,_ we only left school for a day - on a weekend as well. That was 'ardly freedom but this though," She waved the letter," This is true freedom. Look - read it for yourself." She threw the letter to Hermione.

"Is this even in French?" Hermione teased. The calligraphy was so intricate that it made it almost impossible to read.

"Do not play dumb," Fleur scolded but she was smiling so it wasn't half as intimidating as it would have been if she had said it a few months ago," It does not suit your pretty face, _ma belle._ It is an invitation to a 'ouse party in Corsica - 'osted by the Lord of the Islands."

"The who?" Hermione asked as she grabbed her self inking quill and a piece of parchment so she could finish her homework.

"The Lord of the Islands," Fleur replied.

"You can keep saying that all you want," Hermione said, reaching for her textbook," But it doesn't help me understand what you're talking about."

Fleur laughed - the musical laughter, not the haughty one - and shook her head with a grin on her face. She had slotted herself between Hermione and the wall, holding her knees as she turned her head to the side and rested her cheek on one of them, watching her roommate. Hermione had the urge to reach forward and tuck Fleur's hair out of her face but it was an urge that she very much did not allow herself to give into - resolving to finally start her homework.

"I know enough," She said," Goblin wars, civil wars, Veela monarchy and the like."

"Oh forgive me," Fleur placed a dramatic hand to her chest," You are an expert in all things French." She played up her accent at the end, voice thick and Hermione couldn't help but laugh.

"Okay, but don't ever talk to me like that again."

Fleur grinned - not her happy one, her dangerous one - and Hermione immediately paled. She had just moved her papers out of the way before she was attacked. Fleur launched herself from Hermione's side and, suddenly, they were wrestling, rolling around on Hermione's bed, grappling with each other as they tried to gain the upper hand. 

"Ah-ha!" Fleur said finally as she pinned Hermione's arms above her head, straddling her waist," You are my prisoner!"

Hermione tried to control her blush. They were incredibly close, Fleur's face so close to Hermione's that she could feel the princess' breath on her lips. It wouldn't take much to close the gap between them, for their lips to meet.

"Anyway," Fleur drawled, sitting upright with a self satisfied grin even as she stayed, sitting on her roommate," Years and years before your Goblin wars and the civil wars, the islands of France were practically their own kingdoms, ruled over by the Lord of the Islands mostly because they're difficult to get to without our fancy new spells."

"Okay," Hermione said, trying to pay attention even though she was more interested in the way that Fleur was rocking against her in excitement, the way that her shoulders moved when she talked excitedly and the way her smile was blinding.

"But, maybe one hundred years ago, maybe? I am not too sure. But, in that general time, the wizarding people of the islands wanted their Lord back because my ancestors still took ages to get there. So the Lord of the Islands was found and the title is passed down and this-" She plucked the letter from where Hermione had put it on their shared bedside table "-Is an invitation to the 'ouse party that 'e is throwing. It is going to be so much more fun than I 'ave ever 'ad before!"

"More fun than you've ever had before?" Hermione congratulated herself on finding her voice," That sounds dangerous...and highly illegal."

Fleur smirked before winking and then, _finally,_ sliding off of Hermione and returning to her spot between her roommate and the wall.

"They are just more fun than the parties Maman arranges. The grandchildren of the current Lord makes me look like a model citizen."

"Imagine that," Hermione said sarcastically before reaching for her quill and parchment - she really needed to get this work done," Do you think that they'll let you go?"

"They 'ave to!" Fleur exclaimed," It is a terrible insult to not send a member of the royal family as a representative when she is free. 'Arry cannot go, 'e is on a trip with 'is friends and Maman, Papa _et_ Gabrielle cannot go either!"

"Is that what you are?" Hermione asked, unconsciously leaning into Fleur's side as she reached for wherever her textbook had been knocked to during their playful fight," A representative?"

"I prefer the term, ambassador," Fleur said primly, raising her nose slightly with her signature haughty smirk before it fell away because of her musical laughter," Besides, it is better than this place, even if it is just for the weekend."

"Can't argue with you there," Hermione replied, staring at her work because, seriously, she really needed to start her homework now.

She didn't notice the way that Fleur pouted, cocking her head to the side. "But I do so love it when you argue with me."

Hermione looked up from her work, not due to shock at the words but because of the tone...it was soft and affectionate.

But soft and affectionate described puppies and when baby Alexander would babble and use a crayon to draw on a piece of paper while Hermione sat on the sofa doing her Summer homework. But rather than say that, Hermione picked up her quill again, eyes wandering over the passage in the textbook. "Well then," She said," You'll probably have tens of millions of opportunities to argue with me in the future."

"Can this weekend be one of them?"

Hermione sighed under her breath - she was really not getting this homework done, she realised that now.

"What?!"

"Come with me," Fleur said, hands grabbing Hermione's," To Corsica for the weekend. You 'ave never been, 'ave you?" At Hermione's pointed look, she laughed. "Right, stupid question, of course you 'ave not."

"Fleur...I don't know..."

"I am just saying, France is a beautiful place but so far, you 'ave seen what? An airport? The countryside up to Beauxbatons? Domme, which is too depressing to even think about? So, come with me to Corsica - I promise that you will love it."

Hermione chewed on her bottom lip, casting a glance to where her desk sat across the room. Her pile of textbooks were staring back at her in warning. She was slightly behind on her History of Magic reading, she needed to go over a Charm for class and her Arithmancy book still held several questions that needed to be answered. Her Transfiguration homework (even though it was her favourite subject) still needed to be completed.

Next to her, Fleur moved suddenly again. She had, yet again, pinned Hermione to the bed - arms above her head and faces close enough to touch noses.

"Corsica, _ma belle,_ " Fleur wheedled," There will be so much magic."

"There's a lot of magic here," Hermione replied, unable to contain her laughter.

"Yeah," Fleur conceded for a moment before saying," But there is not anything to make an Animagus potion, is there?"

"How...How do you know about that?" Hermione racked her brains. She had never once told Fleur of her future plan to become an Animagus.

Fleur just shrugged. "You like Transfiguration, it was the next leap in logic. Come on, _ma belle,_ come with me!"

Hermione knew what Fleur was trying to do, trying to coerce her into going just to check out the cool potion ingredients. She knew this but, as she spoke, she could think of nothing but Fleur's beautiful smile.

"Fine, I'll go with you."

* * *

The last Friday night of November had Hermione lounging on an armchair in the Sixth Year communal area with Ron and Ginny. 

Ron was slowly but surely making his way through his Care of Magical Creatures homework while Ginny had her feet propped up on the coffee table in front of them, skimming through a book of Quidditch tactics. Hermione sat opposite them, absentmindedly flicking through a book of human to animal transfiguration and their effect on metal health. It had been written by a Muggleborn author and had been on her to-read list for a while.

"I'm so bored!" Ron announced, leaning her head on the back of the sofa that he and his sister were sharing.

"You're so loud, is what you are!" Ginny rolled up the newspaper that was sitting nearby and wacked her twin on the head with it," Now shut up and do your work!"

Ron just groaned again and Hermione rolled her eyes fondly, turning the page in her book. "You'll never get it done if you keep groaning."

"Yes, thank you, Hermione!" Ginny exclaimed," Take that, Ron! If you don't want to do what I say then at least do what Hermione says! Listen to our resident genius!"

"I wouldn't go that far," Hermione said quickly, shaking her head," I'm hardly a genius."

"I would disagree, _ma belle,"_ Fleur said as she arrived in the communal area, standing in front of where Hermione was sitting," Actually, I 'ave it on good authority that the students of Durmstrang and 'Ogwarts call you the 'Brightest Witch of 'er Age', non?" Hermione had sensed her arrival a few moments before the girl had appeared. Thrall lapped at her skin as Fleur's bird had fluttered onto her shoulder, hiding beneath Hermione's bushy and unbrushed hair.

Hermione sighed in annoyance. "I could do without being called that," She said, unaware of the way that Ron and Ginny were gaping at the two roommates," It's not something that I'm overly fond of being called, Fleur."

Fleur shrugged, taking a seat on the arm of Hermione's chair. "You should be proud of the name - it is a great title, _ma belle._ "

"It's pressure is what it is," Hermione huffed before turning her head to look at floor's amused blue eyes," What are you doing here, anyway?"

Fleur winked at her before leaning forward to address Ginny and Ron - who were still gaping at the pair of them. "I am terribly sorry but I will 'ave to steal 'Ermione from you for the weekend," Fleur said as she reached for Hermione's hand, lacing their fingers together tightly. Hermione didn't even have time to fully comprehend how good it felt to hold Fleur's hand before she was pulled to her feet and Fleur's hand moved from holding her hand to looping around her waist.

"Come on _, ma belle,"_ Fleur said as she guided Hermione back to their room," My driver will be 'ere soon and we need to finish packing."


	17. Chapter 17

The trip to Corsica was, in short, very complicated. Fleur's driver took them from school, driving towards a more populated town where they got the Floo to the Ministry to get a portkey to the island where they got into _another_ car and they finally started the drive up to _Mounte Cinto._ As they drove, Fleur regaled Hermione with stories of the holidays she had spent in the castle at the base of the mountain. Hermione was content to listen to her talk.

Apparently, when Fleur was younger and her mother and father were busy, she and Harry were shipped off to Corsica where they stayed with the current Lord and his family so they were all quite close with each other. " 'Ere we are," Fleur said softly as the car turned onto a long gravel driveway," It is 'orrible, non?"

Hermione peered out of the window. She had, of course, been prepared for a castle but, in her mind, she had envisioned it to look similar to Hogwarts. But this castle was nothing of the sort. If Fleur thought that this castle looked horrible than Hermione couldn't even comprehend what her reaction to Hogwarts would be. "It's brilliant," Hermione said with a smile which only caused Fleur to roll her eyes with a small huff.

As the car pulled up, Fleur grabbed Hermione's hand and unceremoniously tugged her outside. Hermione, for her part, had grown used to Fleur's impatience and allowed herself to be pulled along - even if Fleur's hand in hers caused her brain to short circuit temporarily. Thankfully, her hand slipped from Hermione's as two Crups came running from the entrance of the castle.

Fleur fell to her knees instantly and Hermione couldn't help the laugh that spilled from her lips. She had seen all kinds of sides of Fleur but never once had she seen the 'get down in the dirt with the Crups' side of Fleur. It brought a smile to her lips even as Fleur rose from the ground and dusted off the mud from her clothes, giving one last pat to each of the Crups before they ran down the gravel pathway happily.

She didn't have time to dwell on it because men in jeans and brightly coloured shirts moved forward to grab their bags - Hermione was only then beginning to realise how informal things were on Corsica. Fleur grabbed her hand again and pulled her inside.

"Come on," She said," If you think that the outside is impressive then you _need_ to see the inside."

Hermione had to admit, Fleur wasn't wrong. Velvet carpet lined the floor, going every which way through all of the corridors that branched off from the entrance hall. In front of them, sat a large, spiral staircase made of worn stone that Hermione hoped was nothing like the moving staircases of Hogwarts. People, dressed as informally as the men from earlier were, milled around, constantly moving as they prepared things for the party to come.

"Fleur!" A boy exclaimed from the top of the staircase, apparating down in an instant and wrapping Fleur into a tight hug.

"Cor!" Fleur said back, returning the hug tightly.

"No 'Arry zis year?" The boy asked as he pulled away.

"Non," Fleur shook her head," 'E is off in Spain with 'is friend. I 'ave brought somebody much better. Cor, meet my roommate 'Ermione Granger. 'Ermione, this is Corvin - 'e is Lord Julien's grandson."

The boy - Corvin - smiled as he took Hermione's hand and kissed the back of it. "You are right, she is much better zan 'Arry," He said to Fleur before turning to Hermione," Is zis your first time on Corsica?"

"Yeah," Hermione said, a little self-conscious," It's very nice."

Corvin smiled at her before jerking his head back to the staircase. The three of them walked up together, side by side with room for people to walk by if they wanted to.

"What are you doing 'ere, Cor?" Fleur asked as they walked," Should you not be touring Greece or something?" She leaned closed to Hermione. "Cor's boyfriend is Greek," She explained," And we are all terribly jealous of the trips 'e gets to take."

Corvin laughed. "Last time I checked, Fleur," He said," Dating somebody from Greece is not a thing you needed to be doing to visit. You can 'ave your own Greek 'oliday anytime zat you wanted."

Fleur mulled it over as they walked. "It will 'ave to be after Clara's wedding," She mused," And I will 'ave to take 'Arry and Gabrielle if I want to go - Maman would not let me go alone." She then stopped, right in the middle of the hallway before turning to Hermione. "You will come with me, oui?" She asked," And show me all of the 'iking trails you like? You said that your grandparents live there?"

Hermione blinked at that. She didn't know if she could get used to that - the way that Fleur gave a trip to Greece the same amount of consideration as Hermione would give a camping trip with her father. "Only for Christmas," Hermione said," They have a house in Stemnitsa which used to be permanent residence but they live fulltime on Naxos now - it's the island where I was born."

"What's on Naxos?" Fleur was unperturbed at Hermione's announcement," I 'ave never 'eard of it before."

Hermione shrugged. "Not much," She said as they started walking again," Although there's the Siren Cove but I'm not allowed to go there."

"Why?" Corvin asked.

"Apparently, it's dangerous or something - nobody goes there. It's probably some magic thing."

"We will visit it at some point," Fleur said, nodding to herself and Hermione wasn't sure who she meant by 'we' but chose not to question it.

They stopped at a fork on the hallway. "Fleur," Corvin said," I believe you know where your room is."

Fleur smiled and nodded. "The colour explosion room, oui," She replied before turning to Hermione," I will come and get you soon, oui?" Hermione nodded and was rewarded with two kisses on her cheek and Fleur left, sashaying down the corridor.

"Come on," Corvin said," Leave 'er to 'er showing off."

He opened the door on his left and ushered Hermione into the room with a smile on his face.

The room was beautiful.

The walls were a nice light blue with a darker blue accent that matched the sheets and curtains on the canopy bed - her bags already resting on top of it. A giant window dominated one of the walls and, as Hermione walked closer, it gave a beautiful view of the garden.

"It is beautiful, oui?" Corvin asked as he lingered by the doorway.

"Yeah," Hermione said," That sounds about right."

"It is one of Fleur's favourite rooms in ze castle," Corvin said as he started to leave," She insisted zat you 'ave it."

* * *

Fleur was good on her word and retrieved Hermione ten minutes after arrival.

"Wow," Hermione blinked as she walked into Fleur's 'colour explosion' room.

The walls had a dashing of every colour imaginable and it clashed everywhere that she looked. The covers of the bed's duvet and pillows were covered in patterns of fruit trees and vines.

"The name suddenly makes sense now," Hermione said as she and Fleur sat down on the edge of the bed together.

"When Lord Julien's father was made Lord of the Isles, the old owners of the 'ouse 'ad to give it back. Apparently, they did not want to give it back so they tried to redesign it all. Although they only managed to get this room done. Lord Julien's father thought it was funny so they kept it the same."

"Interior design as revenge," Hermione nodded seriously," Been there, done that."

"You 'ave?" Fleur asked," Do tell."

Hermione laughed but launched into the story of the complete redecoration of the Slytherin dorms. It had been revenge justly deserved after Malfoy and the Slytherin Quidditch team decided to knock Padma off of her broom and their bullying of Luna. Lavender and Hermione had slipped through one of the hidden passageways in the dungeon and snuck into the Common Room under the darkness of the night. They then, once everybody had gone to bed, charmed the walls from their regular Slytherin silver and green to Gryffindor red and gold. Of course, then she had to explain to Fleur about the very...aggressive house system back home that had Fleur slightly intrigued - although she hid it well by declaring that the British were clearly barbarians and Hermione was the only one worthwhile.

"-And then," Hermione couldn't help but laugh," The Slytherins tried to get all of Gryffindor house expelled because they had no idea who did it!"

Fleur was laughing as well and Hermione's heart leapt in her chest at the noise. "Come on," Fleur said, offering her hand," I want to show you the gardens - they are magnificent this time of year."

She seemed to know her way around the castle well as she lead Hermione through the winding corridors - Hermione was sure that if she didn't have Fleur as a guide then she would have gotten lost very quickly.

Fleur stopped suddenly though, when they approached the bottom of the stairs.

" _Oncle Julien!"_ She cried, skipping the last two steps of the staircase and throwing herself into arms of the man that stood at the bottom of it.

" _No 'Arry this year_?" Lord Julien asked in gruff French as he put Fleur down on her feet. He was tall even though he was slightly hunched over his walking stick. Streaks of silver were noticeable in his hair but he seemed to carry himself with the air of a much younger man.

Fleur shook her head. "I brought my roommate, 'Ermione," She said before lowering her voice to whisper," She is English."

"Ah," Lord Julien said as he hobbled over, taking Hermione's hand and pressing a kiss to the back of it," As are some of my grandchildren - I 'ave a lot of affection for ze English."

"One of _Oncle Julien's_ daughters married a Cursebreaker from England," Fleur explained.

"She did indeed," Julien confirmed," I do not zink my wife 'as even gotten over it - ze 'usband is incredibly boring but do not worry - 'Ermione, was it? - I will not 'old it against all English people."

He winked at her - the kind of wink that made it seem like a secret between the three of them - and Hermione relaxed a little. He seemed nice enough - for somebody who enjoyed Fleur's company and was welcoming a random English person into his house.

" 'Ave you seen Mélanie?"

Hermione watched in silence as the smile on Fleur's face dropped. She straightened her shoulders and flipped her hair. "I was not aware that she was coming," Fleur said through gritted teeth," It will be nice to see 'er again."

Lord Julien didn't mention how fake Fleur's tone was. "If you see 'er, tell 'er zat I am looking for 'er, oui?"

Fleur nodded and the pair of them moved to the side as Lord Julien hobbled up the stairs. The Veela looped her arm around Hermione's and guided her towards the front door - where two footmen opened it for them.

"Who's Mélanie?" Hermione asked as they walked.

"One of Lord Julien's granddaughters," Fleur replied," Not one of the English ones."

"That wasn't what I meant and I think that you know that," Hermione quipped.

"Playing the detective, _ma violette?"_

"First of all, no to that nickname and second of all, I'm just being nosy."

Fleur smiled softly at her and Hermione's heart rate increased.

"Nobody talks to me like you."

"Honestly, Fleur," Hermione said as she was pulled through the gardens," I think that's half your problem."

Fleur laughed, throwing her head back before going solemn. She plucked a rose from a nearby bush and twirled it around in her hands. "Mélanie is a girl that I used to date - not that anybody knew that," She sighed and plucked a few petals from the flower," Maman thought that she could 'ave been with 'Arry but that was a no-go, obviously. But then, I suppose that I was a no-go as well."

Hermione didn't like that look on Fleur's. She had said the words lightly but Hermione sensed the hurt behind them - knew first hand what it felt like.

So, she stepped forward and quirked a smile - one hand on Fleur's shoulder. "Fleur," She said," Did she break whatever it is that you have in place of your heart?"

Fleur looked at her, in shock at first before she cracked a smile and swatted her roommate with the mangled rose. "You are the worst," She laughed before taking Hermione's hand," Come on - there is a little lake that is nearby, I want to show it to you."

* * *

The rest of the day was spent at the lake, walking and talking together. Hermione found it easy to talk to Fleur. Unlike other people, Fleur actually listened when Hermione spoke and seemed genuinely interested in what she had to say. Although, Hermione supposed as Fleur walked them back to the castle, that that could have just been a Royal Skill - to be able to feign interest in something.

Fleur had pressed two kisses to Hermione's cheeks when they split ways to get ready for dinner and, thirty minutes after that, Hermione tried to reconcile the Hermione who liked to wear jeans and enjoyed staying inside with a book and a roaring fire with the girl that was staring back at her in the mirror. For one, she definitely was not wearing jeans. Instead, she wore a flowing dress of periwinkle. It was obviously high quality and Hermione couldn't even understand how it made her look so good...it just did.

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in," She said, turning away from the door before her heart skipped a beat.

Fleur leaned against the doorway. She was wearing a dress as well - a silver one the went down to her ankles with a long slit up one of the sides and a pair of matching silver heels on her feet. Her hair was in an elaborate up-do with a tiara of emerald and diamond nestled into her golden hair. But, it was her smile that really had Hermione almost gasping for breath.

"Well, well, well, _ma petite sirène,_ " Fleur said," You clean up better than I 'oped."

Hermione rolled her eyes as she crossed the space between them, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious in the presence of such beauty. "You've already called me that before," Hermione said.

Fleur shrugged. "I find it is the best way to describe you," She replied before straightening her posture," And should you not praise me for my appearance like I did for you?"

"I wouldn't call that praise," Hermione teased back," But, well done Fleur, you've managed to finally look like the princess that you claim to be." Fleur grinned at her, a light blush staining her features. "How did you get something to fit me on such short notice? Who did you swipe the dress from?"

"No one," Fleur responded primly, pride leaking into her tone," I guessed and sent an owl to Antoinette to send something up."

Hermione's jaw dropped open slightly. "You guessed?" It seemed impossible but, then and again, this was Fleur Delacour - somebody who had a habit of surprising her. She hadn't even considered that they were at the 'know your measurement on sight' level of friendship.

"What can I say?" Fleur shrugged - one shoulder slightly higher than the other," I have an eye for these things." She didn't quite meet Hermione's eyes as she spoke, offering her arm to the girl. "Shall we?"


	18. Chapter 18

They gathered with everybody else at the bottom of the stairs. Corvin sidled up to them a few minutes later followed by a blonde girl in a blue dress. Hermione instantly recognised her as a Veela even if the Thrall was not active. She wondered briefly if a Veela had married into Lord Julien's family and this was in fact Mélanie.

But instead, Fleur scooped the girl into a hug and cried out," Baby Antoinette!"

The girl glared at Fleur as she detached herself. "It's Sylvie."

Fleur waved if off. "But baby Antoinette is much better. Roomie Granger meet baby Antionette. Baby Antoinette meet roomie Granger."

"Sylvie," The girl said through clenched teeth as she shook Hermione's hand.

"Hermione." She studied the girl in front of her before her mouth fell open a little in shock. "Wow," She said," You are literally baby Antoinette."

"Sylvie," The girl said again before huffing," But yes, my mother is Antoinette which is why I'm stuck in the backwoods of France instead of being at home."

Hermione couldn't help but wonder what kind of life this girl lived 'back home' if she thought that a castle on an island was the 'backwoods of France'.

Fleur leaned in closer and explained. "Baby Antoinette usually lives with 'er Papa in Kensington but I 'eard that Antoinette brought 'er up 'ere to 'elp 'er for my cousin Clara's wedding.

"I am literally standing right here," Sylvie said," I can hear everything that you're saying."

Fleur shrugged. "What are you doing on Corsica?"

Sylvie jerked her thumb to where Corvin was standing - grin on his face and hands buried in his pockets as he watched the interaction.

"Cor invited me," She said," And since I was bored and Corsica is far away from my mother, I agreed."

Corvin grinned at her. "She is 'ere for my own amusement and, as such, I must steal 'er away from you lovely ladies for a minute. We 'ave 'avoc to wreck."

Hermione felt a smile form on her face as Sylvie rolled her eyes and followed after Corvin, muttering under her breath that she would see Fleur and Hermione at dinner.

Fleur opened her mouth to, no doubt, start explaining something but she didn't get the chance because Lord Julien stood at the base of the stairs with his wife by his side - smiling fondly at him.

"I am sure zat zere is somezing fancy I should say but instead, I shall just sat zat dinner is served and you all need to get your arses sat down." 

The crowd cheered and Hermione watched as Lord Julien kissed his wife's hand as she lead the way - one hand reaching to pat her backside as she passed him.

"They are such goals," Fleur whispered, catching the interaction as well.

"That's such an American thing to say," Hermione pointed out.

Fleur just shrugged. "It is the truth."

"Are your parents like that?"

Fleur scoffed as they made their way into the dining room, sitting side by side. " 'Ardly, Maman and Papa are nothing like that. They are in love, I suppose, in their own odd way."

* * *

Hermione watched the couples dance together after dinner because, apparently, no good dinner party didn't have a dance after it. Lord Julien and his wife were elegant and even Sylvie did well - dancing with Corvin as they talked about...whatever trouble they were planning for the rest of the weekend. 

Hermione scanned the area, looking at the girls, trying to work out if any of them are Mélanie. She wasn't entirely sure why she felt a compulsive need to find out what Fleur's ex looked like.

"Well?" 

Hermione turned to find Fleur standing next to her - no longer dancing with one of the many boys that had asked to dance with her.

"Well, what?" 

"Are you ready to dance?" Fleur said it like it was obvious - like Hermione hadn't relegated herself to the darkest corner of the room in the hopes of not having to go to the dancefloor. "There are many boys that are looking for a partner. It is a shame for them that I am not interested whatsoever."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I don't dance," Hermione said," You could not pay me enough to dance with those boys."

"Even though they are nobility?" Fleur teased.

"I spend enough time with nobility as it is," Hermione replied," I'm not dancing with them."

Fleur then grinned at her - the dangerous grin, not the happy grin - and Hermione paled. All she knew was that trouble was coming. But, as Fleur's hand landed in hers, she didn't care much and allowed herself to be pulled out of the room.

Fleur didn't drop her hand as she tugged Hermione through winding hallways until they both climbed the stairs to one of the many towers in the castle.

They stopped in front of a pair of glass doors with golden handles. Fleur pulled them open and Hermione was struck by how warm she suddenly felt - instantly recognising the effects of a warming charm, although this room obviously had many warming charms.

"What is this place?" Hermione asked as she was pulled inside and the doors were shut firmly behind her.

"An orangery!"

"I like it when you say things that you think are real words."

Fleur laughed as she pulled Hermione down onto one of the velvet chaises that were sitting in the room. "Back in the old days," She explained as she curled into Hermione's side without even realising," During the witch hunts and the like, the people of Corsica could not get oranges anymore - back then they were a luxury item. But they needed a place to grow them without the Muggles realising so, they built rooms and layered them up with warming charms."

"Ah," Hermione nodded along," So, if you're really fancy, you install a greenhouse in your actual house."

Fleur smiled. "Oui," She said," Lord Julien 'ad it put in when 'e took over the 'ouse. When 'Arry and I were younger, we used to 'ide in 'ere when Maman and Papa came to bring us home."

Hermione just laughed - trying to imagine a young Harry and Fleur huddled in this very room.

* * *

"I know that you said that you do not dance but 'ave you danced before?" Fleur said suddenly, sitting up on the chaise and glancing at Hermione.

They hadn't returned to the ballroom and Fleur was completely sure that nobody had even realised - although Hermione didn't believe that in the slightest. At the very least, Corvin and Sylvie had noticed their departure - Hermione swore that as they ducked out of the ballroom, she had seen Corvin giving her a knowing look that she had no idea how she was meant to take. But, as time went on in the orangery, Hermione found that she didn't care as she relaxed on the chaise with Fleur at her side - absentmindedly staring at the ceiling together.

"Once, yeah," She nodded," Back when we did the Cultural Exchange with Durmstrang."

"So, you know 'ow to waltz, oui?"

"Yeah..." Hermione was slightly suspicious," Why?"

"Good," Fleur offered Hermione her hand," We are going to dance."

"Here? In an orangery?"

Fleur nodded - completely serious in her endeavour. Hermione sighed but reached up and took her hand. "Who's leading?"

"Me, of course," Fleur said, taking one hand and placing it on Hermione's waist, pulling her a little closer. Hermione fought that blush that wanted to appear on her cheeks.

"You sound very confident about this," Hermione said as she inwardly yelled at herself to relax. They were just dancing together, nothing more, nothing less. Hermione had danced with friends before. She had just not danced in such a romantic setting...She nearly paled at that particular thought - surely Fleur hadn't meant to make it as romantic as it was? Right? _Right?_

"I am French," Was what Fleur replied with," And I am Veela."

Then, without warning, she dipped Hermione in the middle of the room.

In the low light of the flames, Hermione stared at Fleur in shock,

The princess - because she had never looked more like a princess than she did now with her tiara and stunning silver dress - smiled at her before pulling Hermione back up. Hermione's eyes flickered to Fleur's lips and wondered briefly if she would get slapped if she tried to kiss the other girl. But, instead, she just flicked her eyes away and tried to concentrate on something other than Fleur's lips.

Music drifted up from the ballroom and Hermione focussed on that instead of how good Fleur's hand felt on her hip. She hummed the melody of the music that she could hear - the same classical music that had been playing when Padma and Hermione had danced together during the Cultural Exchange. 

Fleur froze suddenly.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"You are glowing," Fleur said, awe leaking into her voice.

"Huh?" Hermione asked," Metaphors, Fleur, really?"

"Non, you are actually glowing."

"What?!"

"It is gone now." Fleur's brow wrinkled. "Do that tune again."

"Why?"

"Just do it," Fleur said in that tone she often used that brokered no argument.

Hermione, eyebrows raised in confusion, did as she was told without argument. She hummed lightly under her breath before glancing at Fleur - who had reached out and touched her skin in wonder.

"Fleur?" She asked as she struggled to fight down her blush when Fleur's hand cupped her face," What's going on?"

"I 'ave no idea," Fleur admitted," But I think that we need to write to the Clan."


	19. Chapter 19

"Is this magical enough for you?"

Hermione laughed as she stood in a small alcove in the mountain. It was beautiful to look at with a crystal pool in the centre. Glow bugs lit up the area while Death's-head Hawk-Moths rested on the walls. The gap in the rockface provided a needed respite from the fierce wind that had started up fifteen minutes into Hermione and Fleur's climb up the mountain together.

"The most magical," Hermione replied with a small smile on her face.

Grinning, Fleur picked up a loose stone from the floor and threw it into the pool of water - watching as it rippled outwards before stilling again. Hermione sat by the water's edge, leaning into Fleur, who joined her.

"I do not understand why you like water so much," Fleur said absentmindedly.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked. The pool was stunning with water so clear that she could see the Plimpies that were floating through it in small groups. 

"You really like water," Fleur shrugged," I do not get it."

"Water's fun," Hermione said," And it helps that I'm a good swimmer," She nudged Fleur lightly," Unlike you."

Fleur scoffed, straightening her spine before shoving Hermione into the water.

She broke through the surface in shock and plummeted down to the bottom - scaring all of the Plimpies. Looking up in the water - eyesight surprisingly clear for being in so deep - Hermione saw Fleur's smiling face watching her. As always when she was swimming, her legs tingled lightly as she propelled her way upwards. Unlike when she had gone swimming in the sea during holidays, the water in the crystal pool was easy to navigate and had no waves that knocked her off of her path.

"That was a mean trick," Hermione said as she broke the surface in front of Fleur.

Fleur shrugged - one delicate shoulder above the other. "It is nothing personal, _m_ _a petite sirène,_ " She said with a grin before she helped pull Hermione out of the water and executed a complicated looking warming charm using her wand.

"Sometimes I wonder why I put up with you," Hermione said as she sat on the edge of the water with her legs still in the water while the rest of her dried off. 

Fleur shrugged again, a smirk on her face as she jerked her chin over to the sleeping moths. "Tell me about them," She said.

"What?" Hermione asked as she kicked her legs in the water," The moths?"

"Oui, Granger," Fleur joked," The moths - tell me about them. Everything you know in that big brain of yours."

Suddenly self-conscious, Hermione dusted off her hands as she glanced at the moths that were on the walls, humming a tune under her breath as she thought.

"You are glowing again," Fleur said.

Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Did you write that letter to the Clan?" She asked.

"Oui, oui," Fleur replied before smiling and nudging her," Now, tell me about the moths."

"Fine, fine," Hermione laughed," Death's-head Hawk-Moth is a name that is used to describe any one of three species of moth characterised by thorax markings that form a shape vaguely similar to a human skull." She glanced to the side and saw Fleur smiling at her, head tilted to the head slightly. "It's one of the main ingredients when used in the potion to help somebody become an Animagus along with ingredients like a piece of dew from a place that neither sunlight nor human feet have touched and a mandrake leaf that you've kept in your mouth for a month. I've never heard of a place with so many moths before though."

"You would not 'ave," Fleur said.

"Alright...are you going to elaborate?"

"Did you know that there's a legend 'ere?" Fleur asked as she rested her head on Hermione's now dry shoulder.

"Oh, really?" Hermione said," What is it?"

"They used to tell me about it on the Clan Grounds," Fleur said," But, many, many years ago - the Veela leaders and the Siren leaders used to come to this very pool to negotiate treaties between our two people. The water here is supposed to be sacred so it made any promises binding - both species kept it a secret."

"Two things," Hermione said, holding up her fingers," One...You pushed me into sacred water?!"

Fleur smirked at her. "But of course," She replied," And the second thing?"

"The second thing is...Sirens are real? I thought that they were just another thing that Muggles got wrong."

"Sirens are real," Fleur confirmed," Or, they were - Maman told me that there has not been a sighting of one in hundreds of years."

"Do you know if your two people were close?"

"You are very curious," Fleur said as her hand reached over to hold Hermione's," It is very endearing."

"Are you going to answer my question?"

"Oui, oui, of course." Laughter bubbled up in Fleur's throat. "I could never deny you anything."

Hermione ignored the flush that rose on her cheeks as she finally removed her legs from the water - pleasantly surprised when she found that Fleur's warming charm was still running.

"But, oui, our species were very close. The legends go that Sirens were the link between 'arpies and Mermaids."

"Harpies and Mermaids?" Hermione echoed," How? They're both so...different."

"Well - 'arpies turn into these big scary feather things, like Veela," A note of pride leaked into her voice," But we are much prettier than 'arpies. Of course, mermaids are...'alf fish. Now, Sirens were said to be able to turn into big scary feather things and grow tails like mermaids - therefore, links."

"You sound so proud of yourself," Hermione said fondly before standing up and offering Fleur her hand," Come on, I'm hungry and I believed you promised me a fabulous lunch for dragging me out of bed so early."

* * *

The pair of them were walking back to the castle when they were found. Fleur had been in the middle of telling a story about some scandal that she had created after accidentally blowing up a building in the Clan Grounds when they got interrupted.

"I wanted to do it," Fleur said as they took a shortcut through the gardens," So I did!"

"I wanted to do it, so I did," Hermione echoed," That's basically your motto."

Fleur lifted her chin, tapping a finger against it before smiling. "I like it!" She declared," I might 'ave that officially added to my crest!"

Sometimes, it was easy for Hermione to forget that Fleur was a princess with subjects to look after and fancy rules to abide by and _a Merlin be damned, crest._

Shaking her head in exasperation, Hermione had to jog to catch up with Fleur. Fleur laughed, slipping an arm around Hermione's.

They had just gotten to the front steps when a voice from inside spoke. "Zere you are."

The pair froze as a girl walked down the steps until she was standing on the step above them. She was wearing the fancy designer jeans that Hermione had grown used to seeing Fleur wear and a white blouse with an expensive looking jacket thrown over her shoulders. Long auburn hair was curled lightly and hung at her midback with a pair of fancy looking sunglasses resting on top of her hair. From Fleur's unnatural stillness at her side, Hermione knew exactly who this was without being introduced.

"Mélanie," Fleur said and Hermione was in no way surprised that this beautiful creature was Fleur's ex.

Mélanie's eyes appraised Hermione and she knew that she must have looked like she had been through hell standing next to Fleur's perfect poise.

"Mélanie," Fleur continued on even though Hermione clearly heard the tense undertone of her voice," Meet 'Ermione Granger - the brightest witch of our age. 'Ermione, this is Mélanie, one of Lord Julien's granddaughters."

"Er, hi," Hermione said, eyes dancing between the pair of them," I'll just go in, shall I? I'll let you two-"

"Non, non," Fleur said, arm tightening around Hermione's, effectively freezing her in place. Thrall lapped at her skin and Fleur's little bird fluttered onto her shoulder, anxiously shifting its weight between its feet even though Mélanie couldn't see what it was doing. "Mélanie, 'Ermione is my roommate back at Beauxbatons."

Mélanie quirked an awkward smile, threading her fingers together. "It is still 'ard to imagine you attending Beauxbatons," She said after a few seconds of silence.

Fleur scoffed at that, flicking her hair off of her shoulder and shrugging slightly. "It is not so bad," She said before nudging Hermione with her hip," The company is good at least."

Something flickered over Mélanie's face before she gave an awkward little laugh. "Good to know," She replied," I was 'oping zat I would get to see you zis weekend. I was 'oping-"

"Well," Fleur's tone was frosty and her Thrall changed with her mood in an instant," Lucky you - you did see me. Now if you do not mind, _Lady Mélanie,_ 'Ermione and I must be off - we need to get back to school today."

Mélanie seemed to be a bit taken aback and being referred to by her title but, she didn't verbalise what she wanted to and instead, dipped into a tiny curtsey. "Of course, Your Royal Highness," She said," I will be on my way."

Fleur nodded as she hauled Hermione up the garden steps and into the castle, ignoring the fact that Mélanie's eyes were trained on their retreating backs. Once they were out of sight and on their way up to their rooms, Fleur breathed out deeply. "That," She said as they walked," Was awful."

"I'm sorry," Hermione said," I know just how awful that feels."

"Dastardly Padma," Fleur replied.

Hermione laughed. "The very same. But, if it's any consolation - it's totally Mélanie's loss."

Fleur looked over at her and Hermione couldn't understand why Fleur's cheeks were a little pink because it wasn't at all that cold indoors. "Oui," She said as she looked at Hermione," It is."

* * *

When they arrived back at school on Sunday evening, Madam Maxime was waiting for them on the front steps to the school. Hermione wondered if she was going to ask them about their trip or if she would try to get Fleur to spill information on Lord Julien - Ginny liked to say that the school was always looking for wealthy investors. "Welcome 'ome, ladies," She said before walking into the school - clearly expecting the girls to go after her.

Of course, they followed.

"Miss Delacour," She said as they walked up to the dorm rooms," 'Er Majesty has written to inform us that she will be arriving at the school after the Christmas 'olidays to 'ave a meeting with yourself and Miss Granger. She 'as assured me that it is of the upmost seriousness and I expect both of you to be on your best behaviour."

Fleur nodded - as did Hermione although she knew that the last part wasn't technically addressed at her.

"Very good," Madam Maxime said before smiling at the girls," Yet again, welcome 'ome ladies and I 'ope you 'ad a good trip."

The headmistress then left them, walking down the corridor.

"Do you think Her Majesty found something?" Hermione asked as they entered their dorm room.

"Probably," Fleur said as she threw herself onto her bed, voice slightly muffled by her multitude of pillows," Maman is very thorough in what she does and, as she tells me constantly, Clan comes before country."

"I feel like that should be the other way around," Hermione quipped as she grabbed her diary from her desk and flipped it open to find three unanswered but unurgent questions from Lavender. "You need to stop doing that," She said when Fleur's bird settled on her shoulder.

Fleur, from where she was still slumped on her bed, said," No I do not! She likes it there and you are the only one that she does not affect. Ergo, she sits on your shoulder."

"One day," Hermione vowed," I'm going to make a logical argument against this."

Fleur laughed as she rolled onto her back, looking at Hermione from under her long lashes.

"You like 'er too much to do that," Fleur said," And you like me too much as well." 


	20. Chapter 20

On the first day of the Christmas holidays, Hermione was curled up in a blanket in front of one of the roaring fires of the Sixth Year Communal Area. A book was on her lap and her phone was blasting out music through her cheap earphones. She was alone for once - Ginny and Ron had returned home for Christmas and Fleur was who knows where. So, Hermione sat on one of the many armchairs and read through one of the Muggle fiction books she had brought with her.

She was just getting to a good part - the female knight was fighting her way through a throng of demons to get to her assassin girlfriend - when a shadow fell over her and a familiar weight settled on her shoulder.

" 'Ermione?" Fleur said, moving so she was standing in front of the witch," What are you doing 'ere?"

"Reading." Hermione held up the book.

"Oui," Fleur said," I can see that. I meant, what are you still doing in school? I thought that you were going to 'ead 'ome to see your family."

Hermione shrugged. "I can't."

"Why not?" Fleur asked as she settled on the sofa next to Hermione's armchair.

"It's too expensive," Hermione said as she turned a page in her book," We can't afford a flight to England and then another one to Greece later on. Besides, baby Alex is really sick and I'd rather not give him whatever magical disease I could bring home with me."

"Do you want me to buy you a ticket?" Fleur asked - as if she was just offering to lend Hermione a shirt to wear. On Hermione's shoulder, Fleur's bird nuzzled into her neck happily and let out a soft chirp.

"I...Huh? What?" Hermione stuttered out," No, I can't accept that, Fleur."

For a moment - for a small, fleeting moment - Hermione had forgotten that Fleur was a princess with a bank account so large that two plane trips (undoubtedly first class tickets, of course) wouldn't even put a noticeable dent in it. Hermione had forgotten that Fleur was something more than just an extremely pretty girl that she was slowly growing a crush upon.

"Why ever not?" Fleur asked, head tilted to the side as she stared at her roommate.

"Because...because...You can't just throw money at people! It wouldn't be right for me to let you play for my flights."

Fleur shrugged. "You can use the private jet," She said," I kept telling Maman that we did not need one but, I suppose, that it 'as its uses now."

Hermione wondered how she could have forgotten that Fleur was a princess - how she could have forgotten that Fleur was way out of her league. 

"I can't accept that either," Hermione said," Honestly, Fleur - it's a nice offer but I'm not a charity case."

She stood and snapped her book closed and made to leave - only for Fleur to catch her wrist and say," If you do not want to accept, it is fine, but I 'ave never once thought of you as a charity case. I need you to know that."

* * *

The runup to Christmas had Hermione slightly suspicious.

Fleur was being more odd than usual and for some unknown reason, her bird was more excitable than usual.

"If this is some kind of delayed hazing ritual," Hermione said on Christmas as Fleur - with her hands covering Hermione's eyes - guided her through the school," Then you're fired from being my friend." Hermione ignored the way that her heart clenched uncomfortably at the idea of Fleur being just a friend.

"I do not know this word that you use," Fleur said softly, her front pressed flush against Hermione's back as they walked through the corridors - garnering odd but slightly exasperated from the teachers that chose to stay at the palace for Christmas. "But it sounds fun."

After Hermione had opened her presents and threw one to Fleur, who seemed shocked to receive one from her roommate, Fleur had practically kidnapped her - stating that she had a surprise that Hermione absolutely had to see and no, she was not going to take no for an answer.

"Whatever this is," Hermione said as Fleur continued to guide her," It better be worth it."

"It is," Fleur promised and Hermione vaguely registered the sound of a door opening and then the smell of...was that turkey?

"Okay, okay," Fleur said," Keep your eyes closed and give me a second." Hermione felt Fleur moved away (although her bird stayed happily on Hermione's shoulder) and she could vaguely hear the Veela rummaging around the classroom (?) that she had brought them to.

"Can I open my eyes yet?" Hermione said.

"Oh! Oui, oui - go a'ead." 

Hermione opened her eyes and her mouth dropped open.

Fleur was standing in front of a row of desks that she had pushed together to make a long table with, what looked to be, a mini Christmas feast resting atop it. "Surprise!" She trilled and she looked at Hermione with a huge smile on her face.

Hermione was shocked for a moment - not by the feast that Fleur had given her but by how the sudden, world stopping realisation that she couldn't stop this, that she had already fallen in love with Princess Fleur Delacour of France.

Fleur's smile dropped when Hermione didn't give her a reaction. "Are you not pleased?" She looked at the food. "Veela do not celebrate Christmas but I did research and...Did I get it wrong?"

"No," Hermione said, moving around the room to hug Fleur tight," This is perfect."

Fleur seemed to swell with pride as she pulled out Hermione's chair and tucked her in. They ate Christmas dinner together while Fleur regaled Hermione with the story of how she had managed to get all of the food into the room with such short notice. "I do not know 'ow Antoinette managed to find someone to do this," Fleur said as she piled more food onto Hermione's plate. Then, she froze and nibbled on her lip in a way that Hermione had to remind herself that no, Hermione, this isn't the Thrall affecting you - this is Fleur being her lovable self. "Is that too big? 'Aving a Royal Liaison tracking down food? I know that you said that a plane ticket-"

"No, no," Hermione shook her head quickly," That was just...using available resources. It's different from throwing money at somebody."

Fleur's bird preened on her shoulder as Fleur grinned at her - a smug smile on her lips. "I thought so. Now - open up!"

"Huh?" Hermione asked - still slightly dazed by Fleur's smile. She was completely caught off guard when a helping of turkey was shoved into her mouth. She chewed quickly and swallowed before fixing Fleur with an annoyed glare. "That was mean."

Fleur just shrugged with her wicked grin and they continued the meal. 

Hermione tried to ignore how close their bodies had gotten to each other, sitting next to each other - so close that they were practically sitting on each other's laps. Mentally, Hermione's mind conjured up a scenario where she actually was sitting on Fleur's lap with the Veela's arms wrapped tightly around her. She could almost feel the kisses that Fleur was trail on her neck and her hands that were-

Hermione stood up, snapping out of her thoughts. "Come on," She said a little stiffly," We should probably get these plates down to the kitchens."

" 'Ermione." It was a rare thing for Fleur to refer to her by her name so Hermione turned...only to be backed directly into the wall with Fleur grinning like a wolf in front of her. Behind her, Fleur's bird hovered over them teasingly - chirping slightly when Hermione's eyes slid to it.

"Fleur," Hermione swallowed thickly, a red blush staining her features," Back up a bit."

"Why?" Fleur teased, eyes alight with amusement.

Hermione was overcome with how close they were - practically sharing air. She couldn't get over how flushed her face was feeling and she couldn't help but stare because Fleur was just _so pretty._ All she could think of was how easy it would be to close the gap between them. Her brain practically short circuited.

"Because..."

"Because what?" Fleur laughed like it was joke, hands on the wall, boxing Hermione in.

"BECAUSE I LIKE YOU!" Hermione blurted out before she could stop herself. She sighed at her sudden admission and looked anywhere but Fleur's shocked eyes," Because...I have a crush on you - a stupid, hopeless crush on you - and, honestly, I'm very disappointed in myself but there it is. I like you, Fleur and I can't stand being so close to you right now because all it does is remind me how out of my fucking league you are. You're really pretty and nice and kind and really smart and this is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to me, so, enjoy watching me make a fool of myself."

"You like me," Fleur repeated and, completely defeated by her whirlwind of emotions, Hermione shrugged in answer.

"I do," Hermione replied," It's so dumb but I do."

"Why is it dumb?"

"Huh?"

"Why is it dumb?" Fleur murmured, stepping closer.

Hermione looked up at her, opening her mouth to respond before - 

Fleur's lips were on hers in seconds.

Fleur's hands were warm on her cheeks and Hermione could feel each fingertip on her face - hands reaching up to grip Fleur's wrists. She shouldn't have been surprised that Fleur was such a good kisser but, apparently, her knees didn't get the memo because they were shaking like she had swum the length of the ocean without stopping. Underneath her fingers, Fleur's frantic pulse reminded Hermione that she wasn't the only one that was freaking out.

Hermione pulled back - her breathing was a little laboured. Fleur smiled at her - her proper smile, not the Princess smile - before it faded from her face. She furrowed her brow. "Is this too much?" She asked quickly," Is it too soon, do you need more time? I can give you more time! I just...I just felt like I 'ad to kiss you so...so I did."

Hermione's lips quirked up into a smile. "Are you, Princess Fleur Isabelle Delacour of France, admitting that you might have rushed into something? You're actually admitting that?"

Fleur pressed her forehead against Hermione's. Hermione briefly wondered why the smell of the soap that all of the students used smelt so much better on Fleur's skin than it did anybody else's. "Did I rush in?" Fleur asked softly.

Hermione shook her hand. "No," She said," For the first time since I met you - I think that you might have had the perfect timing."

* * *

Hermione wondered if sitting in Madam Maxime's office was going to become a monthly occurrence because, here she was again - sitting in front of the headmistress' desk with Fleur by her side, only this time it wasn't because they had done anything wrong.

Queen Apolline was sat in front of them with Antoinette scrawling on parchment behind her. They looked as professional as the last time that Hermione had seen them although both of them were wearing odd kind of half smiles on their faces.

"Do you remember the Clan Chronicles, Fleur?" The Queen asked - the same amusement etched onto her face that Fleur often wore at the start of the school year.

"Er...non?"

Hermione suppressed her laughter, nudging Fleur jokingly with her foot - to which Fleur suppressed her own laughter and squeezed her hand tightly.

Queen Apolline just sighed in exasperation muttering something akin to 'I do not know why I try with you' under her breath before turning to Hermione. "Mademoiselle Granger, as I have no doubt my loud-mouthed daughter has told you already, Veela and other creatures are quite intrinsically linked. Harpies, Sirens, Mermaids - we all share a very distant but common ancestor."

Hermione just nodded. She wasn't entirely sure where this was going but, what the Queen was saying was true, Fleur was a loud-mouth and she had told Hermione about sharing a common ancestor species. If she could remember correctly - and she could - Veela split off from this ancestor around five-hundred thousand years ago with Harpies going next before finally splitting into Sirens and then Mermaids.

"Very good," Queen Apolline praised, linking her hands together on top of Madam Maxime's desk," Now, I have had the Clan look into it and as with very few species, Sirens have a very specific ritual to produce more of their species. You are half Greek, oui?" Queen Apolline phrased it more like she was confirming something rather than genuinely asking," And you were born on the island of Naxos, oui?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Hermione replied, confused as to what that had to do with anything.

"And Fleur," The Queen turned her attention to her daughter," You said that if she hums a tune then Mademoiselle Granger glows?"

"Oui, Maman," Fleur replied, nodding," Like, the same glow as the Thrall."

There was a silence for a moment before a warm smile spread across both Antionette and the Queen's faces. Fleur looked on confused and tightened her grip on Hermione's hand - she had never once see her mother smile like that before. It was different than her usual smiles - her proud one when her children had done something amazing, her Queenly one when she made public appearances, her loving one when Fleur's Papa came into the room. This looked so different to any of them.

"Antionette? The box, if you will."

A small black box was placed in front of the Queen and she opened it delicately.

"I have had this in my possession for many years now, passed down between royalty," Queen Apolline explained. There was a necklace trapped in her fingers, spinning slightly. There was a small pendant attached to it - similar to a clock face but it didn't have any numbers on it and only had one arrow. "And it gives me a great deal of pride to be the one to return it to its rightful owner."

She reached across the desk and pressed the necklace into Hermione's hand - who exchanged a confused look with Fleur as the arrow spun around to point towards her. "Your Majesty, I'm afraid that I don't understand."

"That necklace," Queen Apolline explained, eyes briefly flickering between Hermione and Fleur's hands," Points in the direction of all members of a particular species. Veela have a similar thing in the form of a clock that spins around in the direction of any living Veela. Currently, it is spinning everyway due to the Veela living across the world. This necklace is similar to that."

"Maman," Fleur said slowly," I do not think that that helped."

The Queen sighed deeply at her daughter in fond exasperation before looking at Hermione again - smiling this time.

"I would have thought it were obvious," She said," Mademoiselle Granger, it is my greatest honour to welcome the last Siren to France."


	21. Chapter 21

Somehow, Hermione had forgotten what it was like to be completely smitten with somebody. 

With Padma there had always been that awkwardness that carried over from when they were just friends. But with Fleur...With Fleur there were moments like this.

"Are you going to sing this time, _ma petite sirène_?" Fleur teased, turning around to jog backwards - facing Hermione as they both ran their morning laps around the school together.

Hermione raised her brow. "Maybe," She said," If you fall over onto your arse then I'm definitely going to sing a song about the perils of hubris." She glanced around and shrugged. "But I'll definitely leave you to deal with the aftermath of what happens if I start singing." She jerked her head to the crowd of people that were running with them. They hadn't talked much about the revelation in Madam Maxime's office a month ago and Fleur was content to let Hermione deal with it at her own pace. But, if the girl was making jokes about it, then Fleur supposed that she dealing with it well.

Fleur grinned as they approached a rise in the path, grabbing Hermione's hand and pulling her from the throng of students running. Hermione allowed herself to be pulled behind a formation of rocks. Fleur pinned her against it, silent for a moment as the last of the students ran past. Then, once everybody had gone, Fleur leaned forward and pressed a fierce but quick kiss against Hermione's mouth, pulling away and running her thumb over Hermione's lips.

Then, Hermione leaned in to return her kiss but there was nothing quick about it this time.

In all honesty, Hermione knew that they weren't being subtle in the slightest with their relationship and, truly, it surprised her that it took a whole month for Ginny and Ron to realise what was going on between them. There had been countless times that Ginny had barged into Hermione and Fleur's room to find both of them out of breath with clothes askew but she never once questioned what was going on before she grabbed Hermione and pulled her out of the room.

"So," Ginny said at lunch. She sat down at Hermione's side with Ron sitting opposite her. They moved so in sync with each other that Hermione often wondered if they practiced it.

"So what?" Hermione shrugged although she knew exactly what Ginny was referring to. 

"So," Ginny said," Fleur."

"What about Fleur?"

"Spill!" Ginny ordered.

"Or, don't," Ron said helpfully," Because, honestly, it's none of our business what you and-"

"Ron," Ginny said," I love you but shut up." She turned to Hermione, pointing at her with her fork. "Spill. Everything."

"There's nothing to spill," Hermione said as she grabbed her glass of water. "Why? What do you think I need to spill about?"

Ginny opened her mouth to respond but shut it immediately when a new presence appeared at their lunch table. Fleur nodded in greeting, her own plate laden with food, as she gracefully took the seat to Hermione's right, one hand immediately moving underneath the table to rest upon Hermione's thigh - drawing little patterns atop it.

"Is there a problem 'ere?" Fleur's cold voice was a stark contrast to the heat Hermione was feeling in her face as the Veela's hand wandered further up her thigh.

"N-No!" Ron said, voice a little squeaky as he looked to Ginny.

Fleur was also looking at Ginny, one eyebrow quirked as if challenging her to continue with her previous conversation. To add insult to injury, Fleur smirked and said," Do not mind me - please, continue with what you were about to say."

Suffice to say, Ginny shut her mouth and didn't speak for the rest of lunch.

* * *

In any other circumstance, Hermione would have jumped at the chance to have extra lessons. But, right now, she was mentally planning her escape. Over the past month, she had envisioned twenty five different escape attempts but as of yet, hadn't used any of them.

Every day, whether weekday or weekend, Hermione was subjected to something that Fleur had dubbed 'Siren Lessons'. Of course, they weren't actually taught by a real Siren because, what Queen Apolline had said was true. Hermione was the last of her kind.

On her first lesson, she had questioned that little fact and her teacher - one of the council members called Renée, the one with the Salamander - had explained it without any complaints. Apparently, unlike many creatures, to be born a Siren there were certain requirements that had to be met. For one, like Veela, the gene was carried down the maternal line so if your mother was a descendant of a Siren than so were you. Another thing similar to Veela was the fact that Sirens were not made to be alone. Renée explained that the old Clan chronicles explained that Sirens were more often that not, quite social creatures. But, something that distinctly separated the two species was the fact that to be born a Siren, you had to be born on a certain island.

The Island of Naxos to be exact, although Hermione surmised that easily due to it being her own birthplace.

Of course, that led to her second question.

_Why weren't there any more Sirens left?_

Renée had explained that as well when Hermione had made it more than obvious that she wouldn't be able to move on from this if her questions weren't answered. She had spent days staring at the necklace around her neck - the arrow unmoving from its position pointing at her.

Apparently, hundreds of years ago, there had been an odd sort of uprising of both the Muggle and Wizarding population of Naxos that had led to Sirens being driven from their home island and, therefore, the Siren genes had lay dormant in their descendants for years until Hermione had been born - through nothing but coincidence - on the island. All of this information had been covered in the first lesson along with a few other ideas like how the Siren equivalent of the Veela Thrall was something called the Allure and was activated via music rather than will.

"Stop daydreaming," Renée ordered when she saw Hermione's concentration slipping.

They had been going at this for more than two hours now and all Hermione wanted to do was crawl into her bed and sleep for three weeks. Her throat felt scratchy from overuse and her head was beginning to hurt. This lesson was meant to do one of two things. The first was Renée trying to induce Hermione into transforming for the first time while the other was trying to get Hermione to garner control of her Allure - which, Renée had said, was of the upmost importance due to the fact that there had been many recorded cases of Siren Song causing insanity to some people that heard it.

Currently...neither of those things had happened.

Renée hummed softly under her breath in thought before crossing something off of the list that she had written. "I 'ad 'oped since our species are similar zen I could 'ave induced a shift like wiz ze younger Veela but, I suppose, not."

Hermione sat slumped in her seat. It didn't sit well with her that suddenly she wasn't good at something. Renée's other idea of shifting in a time of heightened emotions like Veela did was also something that didn't happen and Hermione was getting sick of trying so hard with so little to show for it. "Can we try something different?" Hermione finally asked," Obviously the bird thing isn't working so what about the water part? Fleur said that Sirens used to be the link between Mermaids and Harpies. She also said that Sirens are meant to grow tails too. Can we not try that?"

Renée hummed for a moment. "I suppose," She said," Zat I can get into contact wiz some Merpeople ze Clan is affiliated wiz." She tapped the table a few times before nodding. "I will see what I can do. It was take a few days so consider it a break - I will not request your presence again until I 'ave located 'elp."

* * *

After finally being dismissed from her extra lessons, Hermione was lying on her bed - propped up slightly by her pillows. She was so exhausted from the day's work that she was practically falling asleep as her eyes trailed over the Arithmancy homework that she was meant to be doing. Opposite her, Fleur was sitting at her desk - writing an essay on potion ingredients. Every once in a while, she would glance back at Hermione - a smile on her lips before turning to continue to write her homework.

Then, after five minutes of this odd little game, Fleur put the lid on her inkpot and launched herself across the room and onto Hermione's bed.

Hermione laughed as she moved her things away just in time as Fleur crawled over to her, hovering above her with hands on either side of her body.

"You're distracting me," Hermione said softly.

"What is the fun of 'aving a schoolmate that you snog if you can not distract 'er from schoolwork?" Fleur teased as she settled on Hermione's lap.

_Schoolmates who snog._

_Friends who kiss._

Hermione berated herself mentally for drawing the comparison - Fleur wasn't Padma - before leaning forward, hand brushing against Fleur's cheek, to shyly kiss her. But Fleur wasn't shy in the slightest. One hand moved forward to grab the front of Hermione's shirt and the other one held the back of her neck, drawing her ever closer and soon they weren't really kissing anymore. It's more like they were making out than anything else and, suddenly, Hermione could barely remember her name as Fleur's tongue invaded her mouth.

The princess' fingertips were touching every bit of exposed skin that she could find and soon she was incessantly tugging at the bottom of Hermione's shirt.

"You could ask you know," Hermione whispered as they pulled away for air - her own lips going to Fleur's neck, just below her pulse point where Hermione knew that it would drive her crazy.

"I am a princess," Fleur said, eyes closed in bliss," I do not ask for anything."

"Brat," Hermione said as she pulled away from Fleur's neck and shed her shirt before her lips were brought back into a bruising kiss - one hand moving down her shoulder while the other grabbed at her neck to pull her as close as possible. There was a sense of urgency in Fleur's movements and Hermione returned them - one hand moving to hold the back of Fleur's head, fingers weaving through Fleur's blonde hair and-

Hermione pulled away - one of Fleur's golden feathers caught in her fingers.

A teasing smile appeared on her face. "Somebody's getting excited."

Fleur let out a little growl at the interruption, snatching up the feather and allowing a small, conjured flame to burn it into dust.

"No more talking," She whispered against Hermione's lips as she claimed them once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Greek Mythology says that Sirens have wings but in the Harry Potter universe, they're like mermaids so I thought both. Both is good


	22. Chapter 22

"Spill," Ginny ordered as she sat next to Hermione on their shared table in double Potions. Hermione sighed inwardly - she should have known that this interrogation would happen as soon as Ginny got her alone. Potions was one of the classes that she didn't share with Fleur so Ginny didn't have to worry about upsetting the princess with her nagging questions.

"I don't understand your obsession with this," Hermione said as the teacher started to explain how to brew the Draught of Living Death.

Ginny scoffed. "Because I'm your friend and I'm here to stop you from making stupid decisions. As such, I need to know what stupid decisions you are planning to make to stop you from making them."

Hermione gave her a pointed look and Ginny sighed.

"Fine," She groaned," I'm actually super nosy and the sexual tension between you and the princess lessoned and then it got even more tense and now its just-" She made an odd gesture with her hand that Hermione couldn't even attempt to work out what it meant. She wondered briefly if it was some French thing she didn't understand before she shrugged.

"I don't know what you're talking about," She said, turning away to hide her smile and making a big show of writing down her notes. 

"It's almost like...Holy shit! You've kissed her!"

"Ginny," Hermione hissed, grabbing her friend by the back of her neck and pushing her face towards her parchment just as the teacher looked back at their dark corner," Shut up!"

"Oh my god," Ginny said - not exactly shutting up like Hermione wanted but quiet enough that nobody else could hear," You and the princess kissed! Why didn't you tell me? Are you two dating? You are, aren't you?"

"No," Hermione denied quickly," We aren't-"

"Don't lie," Ginny deadpanned," You're a terrible liar."

"Fine," Hermione said with a huff," Yes - me and Fleur are dating...kind of, it's complicated."

"I don't think it is," Ginny replied, ignoring the lecture completely in favour of leaning closer to Hermione - eyes sparkling with mirth," She's absolutely smitten with you."

Hermione had to fight not to scoff - it anybody was smitten it was _her,_ not the other way around.

"I mean, she doesn't invite just anybody for a weekend away on Corsica!" Ginny continued, watching carefully as a blush began to rise on her friend's face," So, is it true? Are you and Fleur dating?"

"I...We..." Hermione sighed, playing with the tip of her quill," Yes - we're dating. Yes, we've kissed. No, I won't be answering anymore questions."

Ginny smirked. "That's what you think."

* * *

"Renée gave you 'omework?" Fleur asked as she moved to sit in front of the lake, legs crossed and back straight with a book in her hands.

"Yeah," Hermione said, treading water as she swam closer to Fleur," Something about wanting me to be 'acquainted with water' before we head out to meet some Mermaids or something."

"And getting acquainted with water means swimming?" Fleur asked, a teasing tone to her voice.

"I don't know," Hermione said," Renée didn't really tell me what to do exactly. She's very vague with her instructions, isn't she?"

"Oui, oui," Fleur said," Back when she used to teach me on the Clan Grounds, I could 'ardly understand what she wanted me to do 'alf the time."

Hermione grinned as she moved closer until she was grinning with Fleur directly in front of her. "It's such a shame that you can't swim," Hermione said," The water's surprisingly warm for February."

Fleur just rolled her eyes as she reached out to push Hermione's wet hair out of her face and leaned down to press a kiss to her girlfriend's lips. "You know," Hermione continued saying," Unlike you, I won't push a defenceless girl into water. Now, I'm-"

"Shut up," Fleur said as she grabbed Hermione by the back of the head and pulled her into a much needier kiss than before. 

"I know what you're trying to do," Hermione said - a little dazed as she pulled away," But it won't work."

"And what exactly am I doing?" Fleur asked indignantly, arms crossed over her chest.

"Don't even try to play coy," Hermione scolded," Renée already tried to induce a shift because of heightened emotions - it might be the Veela way but, apparently," She indicated to her legs," Not the Siren way."

Fleur laughed. "I 'ave a feeling that she did not take that well."

"You have no idea," Hermione said with a grin. She settled in front of Fleur's cross legs - half of her body still submerged in the water.

"Did she throw a fit?"

"Kind of," Hermione admitted," She sat in silence, staring at the wall for a while - muttering about why it wasn't working. It was quite funny to watch actually."

Fleur grinned as well, closing her book as she reached out to massage her girlfriend's head. In any other circumstance, Fleur might have complained about touching somebody else's wet hair but, because it was Hermione, she made an exception. Her fingers wove between brown tresses softly before applying just the right bit of pressure that had her girlfriend tilting her head back for more. Hermione hummed softly - a stray bit of golden Allure causing her to glow and then-

There was an odd flash of colour suddenly and both of them stared down at the water in shock.

Hermione's tail moved easily, keeping her afloat without any problems. "Wow," She said," It's..."

"Very pretty," Fleur said as she leaned over to press a soft kiss to Hermione's lips," I guess that we found the Siren way."

"Really?" Hermione asked, transfixed with the odd way that she was now moving. The tail wasn't uncomfortable - far from it actually - but...it felt odd. Her legs (or lack thereof) no longer tingled in the water as she kicked her tail which was surprisingly strong for something that was being used for the first time. The scales held an iridescent golden sheen that seemed to glow even under the water and Hermione couldn't help but stare at it - open mouthed and unmoving.

"Oui," Fleur said with a fond smile, her hands moving in Hermione's hair," I think it is obvious. Veela shift in moments of extreme emotions and Sirens shift in moments of complete calm."

"Hmm," Hermione said, finally tearing her eyes away from her new tail," Well, I do find you surprisingly calming. Maybe we can see if we can convince Renée to let you sit in on our lessons."

"I would like nothing more."

* * *

"Fleur," Hermione said in warning, drawing away from Fleur's lips.

Fleur - of course - paid that no mind as she pulled Hermione back. 

They had been in this position for a while now. Fleur had appeared from her Wednesday night Potions study session, dumped her schoolbag on the ground before climbing onto Hermione's lap and claiming her lips. Hermione had been in the lake after classes had ended and, surprisingly, had managed a transformation without Fleur's presence - meditating had, thankfully, been very helpful with the magic. Of course, it hadn't gone as smoothly as the one that she had done with Fleur by her side but, at least, it was progress - although the transforming back to having legs was definitely a struggle.

Fleur's lips moved from Hermione's to rest on her jawline, nipping on it lightly before moving to her neck.

"Fleur," Hermione said again as her breath hitched in her throat. She could feel Fleur's smirk into her throat. "The owl won't go away if you keep kissing me."

Fleur sat up properly with a frustrated huff, pressing one last lingering kiss to Hermione's lips. "I 'ate that owl," She scowled and Hermione reached up to mockingly pat her cheek.

"There, there," She said," You should probably check what it wants. I don't feel like kissing you with an audience."

Fleur glared as she got to her feet. "It is just an owl," She said as she headed to the window," It does not understand."

Hermione just rolled her eyes. "I don't care," She said," I'm not kissing you with an owl watching."

Fleur sighed loudly as she plucked the letter from the owl's grip and shooed it away before huffing again and ripping open the letter. Her scowl only deepened and Hermione grinned - Fleur really had no right to look that pretty while looking so annoyed. Using this momentary distraction, Hermione grabbed her phone from where she had stashed it in her desk drawer and answered a few texts from her father (who was asking if she was okay) and Hayley - who demanded to know whether or not Hermione needed to be sent a care package of food.

Fleur read over her letter, slumped at her own desk. As Hermione passed by it on her way back to her bed, her wrist was snagged and she was pulled impatiently to straddle Fleur's lap. The letter was long forgotten on her desk as Fleur leaned forward and pulled Hermione into a hungry kiss - one hand on the back of her head and the other on her waist.

"Do you want to come 'ome with me this weekend?" Fleur asked as she latched herself onto Hermione's pulse point.

"Which one?" Hermione asked, a little breathless.

"Maman is throwing Clara and 'er fiancé a party in the Summer 'ouse in Nice," Fleur said as she moved to kiss Hermione's jawline," I want you to be my date."

"Your date?" Hermione asked," To this fancy party with the royal family?"

Fleur chuckled as she pulled Hermione into another fierce kiss. "It is not that bad," She assured her," We are all frightfully boring and my cousins are 'orrid. 'Arry will be there though. I am sure that, if you grow bored of my company then you and 'im can talk all about your adventures in England."

Hermione rolled her eyes, poking a finger into Fleur's chest. "Mocking people doesn't suit you."

Fleur laughed. "Everything suits me," She replied, pressing a kiss to Hermione's cheek before claiming her lips once more," So, do you? Want to come to Nice with me? You do not 'ave to be my date if you do not want to - you can just be my roomie Granger, who 'as come to keep me out of trouble."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Being your date would be more believable than somebody who keeps you out of trouble."

"Is that a yes?"

"I would have had to go anyway," Hermione said, reaching as far as she could without leaving Fleur's lap to grab something from her own desk," Your mother invited me - terribly rude to not go when the Queen of France personally invites you."

She was allowed a few seconds of gloating as she teasingly waved her own letter - which had arrived only ten minutes or so before Fleur had appeared. Fleur was frozen for a moment before she snatched the letter - threw it somewhere in the room - before she grabbed Hermione by the waist and stood up.

"Fleur!" Hermione squealed," Put me down."

She automatically didn't like the crooked smirk that appeared on Fleur's face as she was thrown back onto the bed.


	23. Chapter 23

"You have a private jet," Hermione said slowly," And a magic train?!"

Fleur - from where she was relaxing in the seat opposite with a drink in her hand - just shrugged. "Oui."

"And you are telling me that this train can take us from Domme to Nice...in less than two hours?"

Fleur shrugged again, sipping her drink. "Oui."

"How?"

"Do you ever grow tired to learning things?"

"No," Hermione replied," Now answer me."

"I am a princess," Fleur laughed," You can not just order me to do something."

Hermione gave her a pointed look and Fleur pushed her sunglasses back to rest on the top of her head.

"I am not sure of the specifics," Fleur replied with a dismissive hand," But the train goes through two underground tunnels which 'ave similar properties to a portkey or when somebody apparates." She shrugged. "We go in one side and reappear somewhere else. Anything else?"

Hermione shook her head with a smile as she looked out of the window. They had boarded the train about an hour ago and Ginny had run up to Hermione before she had left and whispered in her ear that she had to tell her everything that happened as soon as she came back. Hermione just rolled her eyes and slipped into a very annoyed looking Fleur's arms before saying that she would think about it.

"Who's going to be at this party anyway?" Hermione asked as she watched the countryside speed past them.

"A lot of Veela," Fleur replied," 'Arry, of course, and all of the 'usbands and wives of the Veela. Their male children will be there as well. A few normal witches and wizards - nobility of course. Whoever 'Arry invited so that could be anyone." She hummed lightly as she finished her drink and the empty glass disappeared without a moment's notice. "Per'aps a few members of the media - Maman likes to invite them and then intimidate them into writing something without scandal."

"Yeah," Hermione agreed," I can see your Mum doing that - she's quite intimidating, isn't she?"

Fleur scoffed. "You are one of the lucky ones - Maman likes you." At Hermione's shocked look, Fleur shook out her hair. "What? It is obvious - of course, it 'elps that you 'ave managed to keep me out of trouble."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I would hardly say that I've kept you out of trouble. Does causing a bar fight and being attacked by a Lynx ring any bells for you?"

Fleur waved the argument away with her hand. "That is 'ardly trouble," She replied," More like...minor skirmishes."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Minor skirmishes, my arse," She muttered.

Fleur smirked in answer before leaning forward and winking. "I do so love your arse."

Hermione's cheeks heated up and she could do nothing but squeal as she was tugged across the gap between them to settle in Fleur's waiting lap. "You're a perv."

"What?" Fleur laughed," For admiring my girlfriend's arse? I say that I 'ave more than earned that right."

Hermione laughed as well, head dipping down to kiss Fleur - who hungrily returned it. It became apparent quickly that Hermione had no hope of escape so allowed herself to be confined to Fleur's lap for the rest of the trip. Kisses were exchanged and Hermione was glad that she had worn one of her only turtleneck jumpers because it gave Fleur absolutely no access to her neck whatsoever - apparently, Fleur had explained a few days beforehand after she and Hermione had finished a rather intense make out session, that many young Veela liked to...mark their lovers quite extensively. She had said that with a completely serious face before handing Hermione a tub of bruise paste before flouncing off to steal a snack from the kitchens. Hermione could only imagine the embarrassment of arriving in Nice with hickies all over her neck. 

The train shuddered to a stop just as Fleur had pulled Hermione into another intense kiss that had her mind stalling.

"As nice as this all is," Antoinette's voice said," I would not like to be the one to explain to Her Majesty why we are late."

Fleur groaned loudly and muttered something in French that Hermione gathered was rude. She, however, refused to relinquish her hold on Hermione's waist so the girl was left - still perched on Fleur's lap as Antoinette, looking as professional as ever, fully stepped onto the train. Behind her, was Sylvie. Unlike her mother, Sylvie didn't look as put together but still looked nice in a skirt and a sky blue blouse.

"Princess Fleur," Antoinette said in warning," It would be best if let her Ladyship go now - I would hate to have to inform Her Majesty that you have been messing up interspecies relationships...again."

"Again?" Sylvie quipped - a grin on her face. It was obvious that she hadn't heard that particular story before.

"Her ladyship?" Hermione echoed," Terribly sorry about this...but am I missing something here?"

"Oh?" Antoinette said," Did Renée not inform you?" She hummed for a moment. "No, I presume she wouldn't have - she has always been the most airheaded of the council members." She then turned to Hermione again. "Well, as Renée forgot to inform you, I suppose that I will have to do so. You see, Veela and your people had a pact and as a...gesture of good will, I suppose, our leaders gave the leader of the Sirens a Ladyship over all of the waters of France - all of the lakes, rivers and Oceans that we control. Of course, upon your discovery, Her Majesty has-"

"-Reinstated it, making 'Ermione the Lady, we get it," Fleur waved away the conversation with a flick of her hand.

"Sorry, no," Hermione said, looking at her girlfriend in exasperation," We don't get it. Fleur, we are not just brushing this conversation aside. When was I going to be told this?"

Fleur just shrugged. "It's not a big deal."

"Not a big deal?! Fleur are you even listening to yourself?!"

* * *

The palace in Nice was, of course, stunning and Hermione had no idea what somebody like herself was doing in a place like this. The fanciest place she had ever been before coming to France had been a restaurant to celebrate Hayley's marriage to her father. Of course, the palace in Nice was much nicer and Hermione couldn't help but feel slightly out of place.

"We had to get permission from the Greek Ministry," Antoinette said as both Hermione and Fleur sat in front of her on a sofa together," To inspect the Siren Cove on Naxos but," She shrugged," We managed to get a team of Veela to investigate." She passed Hermione a thick file of papers and a few envelopes. "It was a lot of admin but we managed to get it done. The Cove led to a temple and the ruins of the Siren village - what once was their capital." Hermione nodded along in understanding, absentmindedly swiping at the papers that were in her hands. "Everything we found that could be salvaged has been deposited in your vault."

"My vault?" Hermione echoed," I don't have a vault - just a normal Gringotts account."

Sylvie, who had been remarkably quiet as she watched her mother work, was the one that replied," Maman and Her Majesty took the liberty of opening a vault for you here in France. The key is in one of those envelopes."

"Yes," Antoinette said," Everything has been deposited but the jewellery for your outfit tonight." She indicated to the box that was waiting on the table with the garment bags. "Princess Fleur," She said," Her Majesty would like you to wear the sapphire tiara tonight."

Fleur nodded and both Antoinette and Sylvie left without another word - although Sylvie flashed a knowing look to the pair of them. As soon as they gone, Hermione was up like a shot. Her craving for knowledge had her crossing the room to the box in a matter of seconds - Fleur followed her after a moment of shock. But, while Hermione reached for the box, Fleur opened the garment bags.

"What?" Hermione asked when Fleur made a satisfied noise.

"Red dress for you," Fleur explained," And gold dress for me. We are," She snickered," As you like to say, in Gryffindor colours."

Hermione rolled her eyes and swatted her girlfriend. "Don't make jokes about something you don't understand."

Fleur rolled her eyes, hands crossed over her chest before she jerked her chin to the open box in Hermione's hand. "What is it?"

Hermione shrugged before turning it around so Fleur could inspect it as well. A circlet lay in the velvet lined box. It was made of a black material that was semi-clear. "Sea glass, I think," Hermione said aloud," Do you have any idea what the gem is?" Settled at the front of the circlet, hanging down slightly, nestled in the sea glass, was a dark blue gem shaped like a water droplet.

"Blue tanzanite, I think," Fleur replied and Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, I was joking about you knowing what that stone was," She said," But seriously, how do you just know that?"

Fleur shrugged. "I just do. Give it 'ere." Hermione handed it over without another word. Fleur just smiled at her, turning it over in her hands before placing it upon Hermione's head. When Hermione tried to bat her hands away, Fleur scowled at her before continued to rearrange the circlet until the gem was resting in the space between her brows.

"That's all well and good," Hermione said, plucking it from her hair," But surely, we should get dressed properly first before putting on jewellery?"

Fleur smirked. "Once we are properly dressed," She said after Hermione placed the circlet back into the box it had arrived in," I would like to take you to the gardens. Are you willing to accompany me?"

* * *

"I feel like there has to be a rule against turning up late to a royal party," Hermione said as she walked arm in arm with Fleur.

Fleur just shrugged. "Please," She scoffed," It is not a proper party if I am not fashionably late. It is a choice."

"Really?" Hermione quirked an eyebrow," Is that why you dragged me into the gardens? So we can be fashionably late?"

Fleur blushed slightly, looking away from Hermione - mumbling something under her breath. "Sorry?" Hermione taunted," What was that?"

"I said," Fleur said, a little louder this time," That you look very pretty in your dress and I couldn't wait until the party to kiss you. 'Appy now?"

"Very," Hermione said.

They slipped into the ballroom without much problem. Hermione almost choked on the amount of Thrall that hung in the air in such a small space. She had to manoeuvre slightly on her toes to make sure that she didn't step on any animals that lounged on the floor, watching as their Veela danced. "I'll be back," Fleur said softly when she noticed a group staring at them," Wish me luck."

"For what?"

"Time for me to go and play nice with my cousins," Fleur scowled.

As soon as she was gone, Harry sidled up to Hermione - passing her a drink. "You're good for her."

"Huh?"

"For Fleur," He jerked his chin to where Fleur was talking with her cousins - her fake smile on her face. "She's calmer with you."

"Is she?" Hermione wasn't convinced.

"Yeah," Harry said. He glanced around the ballroom - happy to see his mother wasn't watching - and ruffled his own hair, making it messy again rather than slicked back like it was before. "She is. Last year, Fleur would have already caused a scandal but there she is...playing nice, for once."

"For once?" Hermione asked.

Harry nodded sagely. "For once," He confirmed with a grimace.

Hermione opened her mouth to ask another question but a small tug on her hand had her looking down. "Hi?"

 _"Hello,"_ The little girl said," _Are you Fleur's girlfriend?"_

Hermione's cheeks went a little pink as Harry laughed. " _Gabrielle,"_ He said," _Introduce yourself."_

 _"Hello,"_ The girl said again," _My name is Princess Gabrielle Delacour. Are you Fleur's girlfriend?"_

 _"Yes,"_ Harry said," _She is. Gaby, meet Hermione Granger, Lady of the Waters, Fleur's girlfriend."_

Gabrielle grinned as she attached herself to Hermione's waist in a tight hug - a very tight hug for a girl who was only eight years old.

"Careful Fleur," Harry said with a grin as his older sister returned," Gaby might just steal your girl."

Fleur scoffed. "That," She said," Is a stupid idea." However, Hermione still caught her glaring at her Gabrielle.

"And who wouldn't want a catch like Hermione," A recognisable voice from behind said.

"Uncle Sirius!" Hermione exclaimed as she was wrapped up into a tight hug - causing Gabrielle to squeal and run away.

"How are you doing?" Sirius exclaimed. He - for the first time since Hermione had met him - looked very respectable. His black suit was a stark difference from the ratty old t-shirts and jeans that he often wore when he came round to Andromeda's house for a visit.

"I'm doing alright," Hermione replied with a smile.

"I can imagine," Sirius agreed," Your Royal Highness - a pleasure to see you again." Fleur just nodded and curtsied as Sirius turned his eyes back to Hermione. "So...Holding out on me and Andi, have you? Not telling us that you were a Siren?"

"Does everyone know?" Hermione groaned, shaking her head in annoyance.

Sirius just laughed but it was Harry that answered. "Most of the Clan knows," He explained," But me and Uncle Sirius only know because we eavesdropped on Maman when she was talking about it."

Fleur quirked an eyebrow before whirling on her brother. "Maman will kill you if she finds out that you were eavesdropping again."

"Well," Harry said," She's not going to find out if you don't tell her!"

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't!"

"Because...I'll tell Maman about how you were the one that messed up the paint in her and Papa's room!"

"Andi's gonna lose her shit!" Sirius exclaimed from opposite the siblings.

"She'll hex you if she finds out that you swore in front of me," Hermione reminded him.

"Whatever," He said," Are you gonna tell Andi or should I?"

Hermione just shrugged. "Better you being in the line of fire than me."

"Oh, Hermione," Sirius said, hand over his heart in mock hurt," You wound me so - I knew that you should have been a Slytherin."

Hermione scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Just imagine," She said," The Malfoys are gonna lose it when they find out."

Sirius gasped before grinning. "Right you are!" He exclaimed before rubbing his hands together in anticipation. "I can't wait for my dear cousin Narcissa and her arse of a husband to find out! How d'you reckon that we reveal it?"

* * *

Hermione hadn't given much thought into just how easy it was to dance with Fleur. By all means, the height difference between the pair should have made it awkward but, as they danced together at the edge of the crowd, it was anything but. Harry was dancing nearby with Gabrielle - who was chattering away to her older brother in rapid fire French. Sirius was in the middle of the crowd - no doubt charming a Veela woman with his crooked smile.

" 'Ave I told you that you look very pretty in your dress?" Fleur said as she twirled Hermione around.

Hermione let out a little laugh. "Only about twenty thousand times - probably more while we were in the gardens but you have to admit, I was a bit too preoccupied to count how many times you said it."

Fleur went a little red before she smiled. "I very much enjoy it when you talk to me like that - nobody else does."

"That's because they're intimidated by you," Hermione said.

Fleur scoffed. "And you are not?"

"Of course not," Hermione said as she beamed up at her girlfriend," You're quite the ball of fluff when you want to be."

"No I am not," Fleur scowled.

"Like a teddy bear," Hermione continued with a grin on her face.

"No I am not!"

"What would the wizarding public say if they found out that their trouble making Princess Fleur was just a huge softie?"

"Well," Fleur said primly," They will not find out."

"Of course not," Hermione laughed," I'm hoarding your soft side all for myself."


	24. Chapter 24

Hermione wasn't surprised when the next day she woke up with Fleur clinging to her waist. It had become something that she had grown accustomed to in the past few months. Fleur had been quite insistent that they share a bed and, at first, Hermione had been confused before she realised that Fleur was a cuddler. Equipped with that knowledge, Hermione gladly resigned her nights to being tightly snuggled by her girlfriend.

Of course, today was no different.

Hermione was groggy as she woke up, sitting up slightly and blinking the sleep from her eyes - hands moving up to rub them. Behind her, Fleur groaned and tightened her grip on Hermione's waist. Her nose tickled Hermione's neck as she moved closer. Hermione smiled fondly at her girlfriend. It seemed that Fleur was decidedly not a morning person and the fact that they had no classes (and weren't even at school) made it clear that Fleur had absolutely no desire to get up at all.

"Fleur," Hermione said softly. She tried to wiggle around to face the Veela but found that she could not, so she compromised and turned her head back to look at her instead. "Hey, Fleur."

Fleur made a noncommittal noise and just snuggled deeper into Hermione's neck. "No more talking," She said, voice thick with sleep," It is too early."

"Fleur," Hermione tried again," Come on, get up - I'm bored." She tried to free herself half-heartedly as Fleur continued to tighten her grip, pulling Hermione back across the mattress until she was nestled securely to Fleur's front.

Sighing to herself, Hermione put her head back down onto her pillow. Try as she might, she knew that there was no way that she was going to get free any time soon. 

She had no idea how much time had passed since she woke up but it was enough for the sun to be fully raised in the sky and for the light to be peaking through the curtains of Fleur's room. Fleur made another noise behind her just as the door opened. The princess shrieked as a body bounced onto the bed - causing her to let go of Hermione, who moved to the side just as Gabrielle jumped her way between the pair.

 _"Fleur! Fleur!"_ Gabrielle exclaimed," _Get up! Get up! Maman wants us all to have breakfast together!"_

Fleur just groaned - loud and drawn out - as she grabbed one of her pillows and used it to cover her face. " _Go away, Gaby,"_ She said, her voice still slightly muffled by the pillow," _I want to sleep."_

 _"Maman said to bring your girlfriend,"_ Gabrielle said as she tried to tug the pillow away from her sister's face," _Come on Fleur! You're so lazy! Isn't she lazy, 'Ermione?"_

 _"Don't answer that,"_ Fleur's voice said. She was still holding the pillow to her face.

 _"Don't worry Gabrielle,"_ Hermione said. The French rolled off her tongue uncertainly. " _I will get her up and we'll meet you for breakfast."_

Gabrielle stared up at her, grinning widely. " _Fleur is very grumpy in the morning,"_ She said before puffing herself up in the kind of pride that only eight year olds possessed," _I am not grumpy in the morning - you should date me instead of Fleur."_

Hermione chuckled.

" _Get out!"_ Fleur yelled, bolting upright in bed.

She flung the pillow at her retreating sister's form just as Gabrielle swung the door shut.

* * *

"Maman," Fleur said dramatically as she dragged Hermione into the family dining room," To what do I owe the pleasure of your summoning so early in the morning?"

Queen Apolline, who was sitting at the head of the table with her husband on one side and an empty seat on the other, rolled her eyes. Next to Mr Delacour, sat Gabrielle - who was grinning and making a big mess of herself. "Stop being so dramatic," The Queen chided lightly," Sit down and start eating." 

Fleur rolled her eyes before she slumped in her seat - Hermione following cautiously after. She was struck by just how normal the family was as Mr Delacour reached over to clean up the mess that Gabrielle had made on her dress. Opposite her, Harry looked like he was sleeping in his seat - one hand holding his fork, which was resting on his plate while the other was used to prop up his head.

"A pleasure to see you again Lady Granger."

"You too, Your-"

"Apolline, please," The Queen said with a dismissive flick of her wrist," Anybody who can put up with Fleur for so long without running for the hills has earnt the right to call me by name." Fleur scowled at the insinuation but carried on eating. "So, your transformations have been going well?"

"Er...yeah," Hermione said, staring down at her plate intently," Pretty well, I guess."

"Very good," Apolline praised as she buttered her toast before pointing the knife at Fleur," And you are behaving yourself, oui?"

"Why does everybody assume that I 'ave done something?!" Fleur demanded, putting her cutlery down with a clash.

Harry - thoroughly woken up by the noise - ran a hand through his hair before grinning mischievously. "You once hexed the Danish Minister For Magic because you didn't like the colour of his robes."

"You constantly argue with your cousins," Mr Delacour said.

" _You pranked the daughter of the German International Liaison because you didn't like her dress."_ Gabrielle said happily - an ear splitting smile on her face as she talked about her sister's various mishaps over the years.

Fleur - slightly exasperated by them all - sighed loudly before scowling. She threw a wounded look at Hermione when she noticed that her girlfriend was snickering under her breath.

"Do you 'ave something to add?" She snarked, giving her girlfriend a pointed look.

Hermione shrugged. "Lynx," She said simply and laughed loudly as Fleur groaned and buried her head in her hands.

* * *

She had to admit, as Fleur broke away so they could catch their breath, kissing Fleur was the best feeling the world. Hermione panted as she looked at her girlfriend through half lidded eyes. Fleur was equally as dishevelled. Her shirt had been thrown somewhere in the room as golden feathers sprouted across her hairline. Her once blue eyes had darkened dramatically as she ran a thumb over Hermione's kiss-swollen lips before Fleur pushed herself forward once more.

Hermione met her halfway, hands moving to lace behind Fleur's neck - pulling her impossibly closer. Fleur didn't seem to mind as one of her own hands came to cradle her girlfriend's cheek as they kissed again. Hermione let out a little moan of pleasure as Fleur pushed her back farther into the pillows of her bed.

Then, just as Fleur started tugging at Hermione's shirt impatiently, the door was flung open.

Both girls froze and Fleur scrambled for her wand so she could summon her shirt from where it had fallen off of her bed. 

"I tried to stop them!" Sylvie yelled - covering her eyes with her hand when she had noticed the position that the pair of them were in.

Hermione flushed red at being caught and ran a cursory hand through her hair to smooth it out and she straightened out her clothes. Fleur was a little red as well. She barely had time to pull on her shirt before the door to her room was pushed open together and her cousins walked in like they owned the place. Hermione vaguely matched names to the faces that she had been introduced to yesterday night but barely paid attention to the Veela in the background - eyes focussed on the Veela at the front of the formation.

Dressed in a stunning dark purple dress that clung to her curves, Princess Clara Delacour - niece to the Queen - sat elegantly on the silver chaise that was near Fleur's bed. She looked incredibly calm as she reached over to pluck a golden feather from Fleur's head - rolling it over in her fingers. " 'Aving fun, dear cousin?" Clara asked, brow raised. Her accent was thick - a lot thicker than Fleur's - and Hermione gathered that it had been a while since she had had to use English.

Clara's other hand moved down to stroke the silver leopard that lounged by her feet. It snarled softly and Hermione eyed it warily.

"Yes," Fleur said, her voice cold," I was 'aving fun before you came in." Her bird appeared and fluttered onto Hermione's shoulder as she watched the two cousins stare at each other. Their looks were so intense that Hermione wouldn't have been surprised if sparks crackled between them. Instead of continuing to hold her cousin's eyes, Clara's gaze snapped away from Fleur to look at Hermione instead - who got the distinct feeling that she was being scrutinised for just existing.

"So," Clara said, clicking her tongue," Zis is ze Siren? She does not look like much."

From behind Clara, Hermione noticed Sylvie rapidly shaking her head while staring at Fleur - who was clutching her wand so tightly that her knuckles were going white. Hermione sighed softly, moving her hand so she could rest it on top of Fleur's.

" 'Er name," Fleur said through gritted teeth," Is 'Ermione."

Clara just shrugged and flicked her wrist in dismissal while her other hand moved to stroke behind her leopard's ear. "Whatever," She said before leaning forward and look at Hermione again, eyes narrowed slightly," Is it true zat you were called ze Brightest Witch of Your Age?"

"I still am," Hermione said - finally finding her voice," What of it?"

Clara just laughed - loud and haughty and oh so like how Fleur laughed when she and Hermione first met. "I suppose zat you must be passable to get into Beauxbatons wiz a scholarship."

"More than passable," Hermione said," I got Outstanding on all Twelve OWLs - even Divination when I hadn't attended a class since my third year."

Clara gave her a look of intrigue before moving to study her own nails. "Really?" She drawled," Why take ze exam if you 'ad not been to a lesson since zen?"

Hermione scoffed. "To prove that it was complete crap and easy to bullshit my way through." She shrugged. "You make it sound like it was difficult."

Clara rolled her eyes before straightening her back and glancing back at Hermione again. "Most people would find it difficult," She commented," But I am incredibly smart so, I suppose, zat I can see where you are coming from. Outstanding on all results, did you say?" At Hermione's nod, Clara hummed before tossing her hair over her shoulder. "I suppose zat makes you academically smart. I wonder if you are anyzing else."

"How so?" 

Clara laughed again. "I mean, zat book smarts are all well and good but if you can not put it into practice then," She shrugged," It is all for no'zing."

"Would you consider coming second in the International Wizarding School duel off to be putting my book smarts into practice?" Hermione asked with a small smile on her face.

Clara looked shocked for a moment before she made an appreciative noise. "I often find it difficult to find people zat can keep up wiz me," She boasted," I am very shocked to find zat you can."

Hermione shrugged. "Then you must surround yourself with idiots, Your Highness."

A ripple of horror passed through the group and silence descended. All the Veela stilled at Hermione's thinly veiled challenge but Fleur allowed her own smug smile to show as her girlfriend and Clara stared at each other - sizing the other up in a newfound light.

Then, a gasp was heard from one of the attending Veela as Clara squared her shoulders and held out her hand.

"Please," She said," Call me Clara."

Hermione shook it and they both smiled. Then, Clara turned to Fleur. "I approve."

Fleur scoffed under her breath and in a voice so low that only Hermione could hear her, she said," As if I need your approval."


	25. Chapter 25

Hermione yawned to herself as she slumped down into her Potions lesson. It was her first lesson of the day and even her needy make out session during the morning run with Fleur hadn't truly woken her up. Ginny looked to be in the same situation - head propped up on her hand as she aimlessly doodled on her piece of parchment. The professor was just droning on and on about the upcoming end of year exams that were happening in the Summer term. 

Hermione yawned again, eyes only slightly open. Ginny reached across their shared desk to poke Hermione with her quill. Hermione, of course, paid her no mind and stared, bleary-eyed, at the teacher. Things were made worse due to the fact that this was a Potions classroom. The dim lighting of the room coupled with the sweet smell of the Amortentia that they brewed yesterday (which smelt like freshly cut grass, new parchment and smell of Fleur's apple shampoo) made it so easy for Hermione to fall asleep.

Ginny poked her with her quill again and Hermione moved to bat her hand away. "What?" She murmured, moving her head so she could face her friend in annoyance.

"What are your plans for the Easter holidays?" Ginny asked.

"You're ignoring the teacher to ask me that?!" Hermione said - an incredulous tone leaking into her voice even though she was halfway to sleep.

"You're trying to go to sleep," Ginny pointed out and Hermione groaned.

"I would be asleep," She huffed," If it weren't for the stupid anti-sleeping spells in the classrooms."

Ginny laughed under her breath. "Isn't that the truth," She agreed before poking Hermione with her quill again," So? What are your plans for the Easter holidays?"

Hermione shrugged. "Go home, chill in my room," She shrugged," Sleep for a week and a half."

Ginny nodded in acknowledgement. "Hey," She said, poking Hermione again," What do Muggles do for Easter? Dad always said that they do a ceremony for Lord Bunny of Easter where they throw chocolates in the shape of balls at each other and go on a hunt."

Hermione stared for a while, open mouthed in shock. "Sorry?" She said, supressing her laughter," Could you repeat that?"

Ginny did - eyebrow quirked in confusion. "Why?" She asked once she had finished reciting what her father had told her once," Did I say something funny?"

"Oh, Ginny," Hermione said - suddenly more awake than before as she fought the grin that wanted to appear on her face.

"What?!" Ginny demanded.

"Let's just say," Hermione said," That your father might have gotten a bit confused at what Muggles do for Easter."

* * *

"Why do you 'ave to go?" Fleur demanded petulantly - arms crossed over her chest with a pout on her face.

Hermione rolled her eyes, continuing to pack her bag with her back to her girlfriend. "Because," She said as she threw another shirt into her bag," I need to see my family. Besides, it'll be nice for me to go home for a bit. I have friends in England...you do know that, right?"

Fleur huffed as she stood up from her bed and hugged Hermione tightly from behind. She rested her head on her girlfriend's shoulder while the other one became occupied by her silver bird. "I will be bored without you," Fleur said with an audible whine in her tone," Maman will make socialise with _Clara._ " 

Hermione rolled her eyes and awkwardly curled her arm up to pat Fleur on the head. "I'm sure that you'll survive," She said with a small grin on her face. Fleur groaned loudly at that and buried her head in Hermione's shoulder as her bird fluttered impatiently. "Besides," Hermione said," Clara's not that bad."

Fleur drew back and placed her hands on her hips while her bird chirped in annoyance. "Of course you would say that," She huffed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione said - a teasing tone in her voice as she grabbed a few of her books, tucking them into her suitcase before zipping it up.

"She owled you yesterday," Fleur muttered, bottom lip jutting out in another pout.

"Are you jealous?" Hermione asked. Her back was still turned and she was glad of it because a small smile quirked at her lips at the thought of Fleur being jealous over her cousin. "You do know that Clara's getting married, right? And she's straight."

Fleur just flopped backwards onto her own bed and sighed loudly. "But I can not trust 'er!" She whined," She will realise that 'er stupid fiancé is stupid and that you are so much better than anybody else in the 'ole world and then I will 'ave to fight 'er for you!"

Hermione rolled her eyes as she dragged her suitcase to the door to their room before turning around and joining Fleur on her bed. "You're being an idiot again," Hermione said with a small, exasperated smile," She only owled because she wanted my opinion on the new paper written by Janus Vance."

Fleur made a grumbling noise under her breath and Hermione supressed her laughter.

"Besides," She said," I'll have you for as long as you want me for."

Fleur's eyes practically glistened at that as she wrapped Hermione up into a tight hug as she manoeuvred the girl into her lap. "I am going to keep you," Fleur said with the utmost seriousness," I would like for you to keep me as well."

Hermione let out the surprised laughter that bubbled from her throat. "That's such an odd way to phrase it," She said when Fleur gave her a confused look," But in the same vein - yes, I will keep you." She almost laughed again at the odd phrasing before Fleur had leaned forward and was claiming her lips.

"Fleur," Hermione said as she pulled away slightly," I have to get to the airport."

Fleur just rolled her eyes, holding Hermione by the back of the head as she pulled her closer again. "You still 'ave ages until your flight," She said as she crashed their lips together.

"Fine," Hermione said as she reached to hold onto Fleur's shoulder to steady herself," I'll give you five minutes."

Fleur grinned against her lips. "Five minutes is all I need."

* * *

"He's hot," Lavender said as a Prince stalked into the throne room. To be honest, Hermione was a little sick of royalty at this point and wished they had put something else on the TV but, Lavender had insisted that she had wanted to watch this movie for ages. 

Sitting on her sofa, was Luna - who was absentmindedly eating some popcorn - while Lavender was staring at the screen. Hermione rolled her eyes at her friends as she picked up a crying Alexander and bounced him on her hip. He had just woken up from his afternoon nap and the loud noise of the TV had caused him to start crying. Currently, Hayley was at work and Hermione's father had been called in as well out of nowhere. Apparently it was an emergency so he left Alex in the care of Hermione while he headed off to work.

Hermione was glad that he had taken the announcement about everything well and was still treating her like usual. Hayley, of course, had been very excited to find out that her step-daughter was a Siren and had asked a million and one questions about it. Coming clean about everything she had learnt while she was away, had been on Hermione's to-do list ever since she had returned home so, on the first night back as soon as Alexander was put to bed, Hermione blurted out everything.

Mr Granger, even though he may have been highly confused and very shocked, noticed his daughter's distress over his reaction and had pulled her into a tight hug and told her that nothing would change and that she was still his daughter - something that would never change.

"Budge up," Hermione said as she soothed her brother, lightly kicking Lavender in the shin.

"No," Lavender said with a grin," Sit on the floor."

"This is my house," Hermione reminded her.

To that, Lavender rolled her eyes. "It's your Dad's house."

"Shut up," Hermione said before sitting herself on the sofa between her two friends. Alex babbled as he sat on her lap, clapping his hands before clambering over to Luna - who gladly took him and made soft cooing noises.

"But, he's hot, right?" Lavender asked with a grin, still staring at the prince on screen.

"I suppose," Hermione shrugged," Although, he's a bit too ruthless for my taste."

Lavender just rolled her eyes as Hermione grabbed the packet of chocolate that was resting on the coffee table in front of her. She was just about to start eating it when the doorbell rang. She almost groaned as she put the open bar of chocolate back onto the table.

"Give me a second!" Hermione yelled in the direction of the door before she took Alex from her friend and put him into his playpen and glared at Lavender, who had swiped the chocolate quickly and was happily eating it.

She headed to the door and flung it open - intent on telling whatever door-to-door salesmen had arrived that she wasn't interested.

Her words died in her throat when she saw who was standing there.

Fleur was beaming at her with a team of Auror bodyguards standing behind her.

"You better have a good explanation for this!"

"I do! I promise!"


	26. Chapter 26

"A-Am I supposed to curtsy?" Lavender asked quietly as Hermione lead Fleur and the team of Aurors into the house.

"No," Fleur said with a dismissive flick of her wrist," But I do enjoy a bit of light grovelling."

"She's joking," Hermione said quickly with a glare in Fleur's direction.

"Am I?" Fleur snarked back, eyes alight with amusement and a smirk forming on her lips.

"Yes," Hermione said," You are."

"You always ruin my fun."

"Need I remind you that your idea of fun is starting a pub brawl and antagonising lynxes?" 

Fleur pouted at that and Lavender made a noise that vaguely sounded like she was choking. Luna, standing next to her, rolled her eyes and patted her friend on the back.

"Are you ever going to let that go?" Fleur asked, moving to rest her hands on Hermione's hips - not caring that they had an audience. The team of Aurors looked away quickly while Lavender stared and Luna - thankfully - covered her eyes as Fleur pressed forward and caught Hermione in a passionate kiss. She rested their foreheads together. "I missed you," She said with an audible whine in her voice.

"Why don't you guys go upstairs and talk?" Luna offered when it became apparent that Lavender was going to do nothing but stare in a mixture of shock and wonder.

"Yeah," Hermione agreed as she grabbed Fleur's hand tightly," Excuse us for a moment."

* * *

"What the hell do you think that you're doing here?!" Hermione demanded as soon as she had led Fleur to her bedroom.

Fleur, of course, completely ignored her question in favour of inspecting Hermione's room. Her eyes swept over her girlfriend's neatly made bed and the odd little trinkets that sat on her overflowing bookcase as Fleur's bird faded into existence and hurriedly snuggled into Hermione's neck. Hermione, absentmindedly stroking a feather, glared at her girlfriend.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked," Aren't you supposed to be in France?"

Fleur just shrugged - a pout on her face. "I went back 'ome to the palace in Paris," She said," But Maman got sick of my...I think she used the word moping? Oui, moping. She got sick of my moping and my arguments with Clara and told me to come and see you." She grinned. "So 'ere I am. I missed you, _m_ _a petite sirène._ Is that a crime?"

Hermione sighed - acutely aware that Lavender and Luna had probably snuck upstairs to lean against her bedroom door to eavesdrop. She wouldn't have been surprised if the team of Aurors had done the same.

"I hate you," She replied with a small huff of annoyance.

"No you do not," Fleur said. Her grin was wicked as she took a step forward.

"I don't know why I put up with you," Hermione said as she took a step back.

"Yes, you do," Fleur replied, taking another step forward.

"Do you have an answer for everything?" Hermione quipped. She stepped back again, eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Oui," Fleur shrugged as she took a final step forward and backed Hermione into the wall.

"Screw you," Hermione said with no venom in her voice.

Fleur just smirked and leaned forward to press a chaste kiss to her lips. "Maybe later," She crooned - supressing her laughter at how red her girlfriend had gone.

Hermione just sighed, shaking her head softly. "Fine," She said," But you're explaining this to my dad."

* * *

The rest of the day found Hermione, her girlfriend and her friends out in Muggle London together. Surprisingly, Fleur was very well-behaved and managed to get on well with both Lavender and Luna, who both seemed to adore the girl. At one point while Luna and Fleur were engaged in a debate about the current status of Kelpies as an endangered species as they all ate at a crappy fast food restaurant, Lavender had nudged Hermione in the ribs and demanded to know what the hell she had been complaining about for most of the school year. Hermione hissed back that Fleur was a right arse when they first met and she was entitled to be pissed at the girl.

Lavender just rolled her eyes before throwing a few fries at her friend, who responded in kind.

Currently though, Hermione, Lavender and Luna were showing Fleur the wonders of the Muggle arcades - rotating on who had to hold a laughing baby Alexander.

Fleur was, predictably, very bad at the games but it didn't stop her from attempting to play - slightly in awe at what was going on in the building. She had very much enjoyed watching Hermione absolutely decimate both herself, Luna and Lavender at air hockey - citing that it was just angles and physics, to which Fleur was confused about but didn't let it faze her as she dipped down to press a less than chaste kiss atop Hermione's lips. After the display, Lavender had jokingly said that Hermione better not expect her to kiss her as well while Luna rolled her eyes and stated that even the thought of kissing somebody made her feel physically sick.

Fleur had also enjoyed playing the games that spat out tickets. She had begun collecting them as soon as she realised that you could trade them in for prizes - emboldened by the story of

when Lavender and Hermione had spent a whole Summer using all of their allowance in the arcade and trading in all of their tickets in return for a professional poker kit that they had taken to Hogwarts with them.

Luna was helping Fleur was collecting tickets as they tag teamed a shooting game together while Lavender had wandered off to play one of the basketball games with Alexander on her hip. Hermione, however, was exchanging a twenty pound note for a coins. There was a tap on her shoulder and she pocketed the rest of her coins before turning to face the person. She had assumed that it would be Fleur, who had now made it a habit to run up to her girlfriend whenever she claimed more tickets.

But, it wasn't Fleur.

It was Padma.

"Padma!" Hermione squeaked out.

"Hey, Hermione..."

"Hey."

"I, er, didn't get to talk to you during Quidditch - you kind of just disappeared after the matches," Padma said awkwardly.

"Right," Hermione replied," Yeah, I was, er, busy?"

This whole interaction was awkward enough without Hermione admitting that she had left the match purposely to avoid seeing Padma and that she had avoided everybody else from Hogwarts - bar Lavender and Luna - until they had all left back to Scotland. Padma opened her mouth to say something else but a voice from behind the pair had her freezing entirely.

" 'Ermione, come, come, try this! Luna said that it makes your tongue blue!"

Padma whipped her head around as Fleur came barrelling towards them, a blue slushy in one hand and a red one in the other. She pushed the blue one into Hermione's arms and waited for her to take a sip - which the girl did before sticking her tongue out for Fleur to see. Fleur looked at it with a sense of childlike wonder in her blue eyes before she pushed herself forward and kissed Hermione passionately before pulling away - a light blush on her face.

She giggled softly. "Our tongues are purple now - we match." She looped an arm around Hermione's waist. She caught sight of Padma and stilled. "Oh...'ello."

"Er, hi," Was all Padma seemed capable of saying as her eyes flickered between them," Who's this?"

"Oh, right," Hermione said," Padma, meet Fleur, my girlfriend. Fleur, this is my...friend, Padma Patil."

"I...didn't realise that you had a girlfriend."

"Yeah," She said," It's a relatively new thing."

"Oh..."

Fleur glanced between them. For a moment Hermione thought that she was going to be possessive and territorial - like she had read young Veela could be - but, instead, Fleur just pressed a soft kiss to Hermione's lips. "I will go and find Luna and Lavender," She said," Call if you need me."

With that, Fleur left the pair.

"Your girlfriend is very pretty," Padma said softly," How did you meet?"

"We're roommates back at Beauxbatons," Hermione replied," We used to hate each other actually - she was a right prat."

Padma gave her a tight lipped smile. "Sounds like Malfoy."

Hermione made a disgusted noise. "I have never had a crush on Malfoy - at the very least, I have standards."

"Listen..." Padma said after a moment of silence," I shouldn't have kissed Terry during Summer - I'm sorry and I understand why you and the others are ignoring me."

"I'm not gonna lie, that was a dick move."

"Yeah, it was," Padma admitted.

"And it hurt a lot."

"Yeah." She looked down at her feet.

"But," Hermione huffed out a sigh," We've been friends for years and you have a habit of making stupid decisions even if you are a Ravenclaw."

Padma's lips quirked upwards slightly before she frowned. "I am sorry," She said," Truly. I don't know what I was thinking."

"The past is the past," Hermione said softly," We can't go back to what we were, not after what happened. I accept your apology but I don't truly forgive you. If you want to be forgiven then you have to work on it."

"So...Friends?" Padma stuck out her hand.

"We'll see," Hermione replied. 

She shook Padma's hand before saying her goodbyes and heading over to where Fleur and the others were.

"Come on," Hermione said as she approached her friends and laced her fingers with Fleur's," Dinner will be soon. We should probably get home if you're really adamant about staying which, by the way, still mad at you for not asking first. You'll need to make that up to me somehow."

Fleur pouted, thoroughly chastised and promising the call the next time that she made similar plans as Hermione lead the way home with a small, exasperated smile on her face.

* * *

Dinner, as Hermione had assumed, was extremely awkward. Mr Granger just didn't know how to react when he came home to find a princess and a team of Aurors in his house. But, seeing as he had no powers to actually tell them to leave, he just sighed and muttered that he would get out the photo albums for Fleur to look at. 

Fleur was, of course, very happy that she got to stay and was even more happy as she poured over Hermione's baby pictures. Hermione had groaned loudly at seeing the photo albums and had attempted to escape the room until it was over but never got the chance to because she was pulled unceremoniously into Fleur's lap - who kept her in an iron grip until Hermione was dying of mortification over it all.

"I've got him," Hermione said as she answered her father's yell from the kitchen. She scooped a crying baby Alexander from his playpen and bounced him on her hip. He took one of her fingers in his chubby hands as tears streamed down her face. Hermione glanced around the room quickly. Her father was in the kitchen, Hayley had yet to return from work and Fleur was sitting on her sofa. The Aurors that the princess had brought with her were surreptitiously watching the house from outside.

Satisfied that nobody would be affected but baby Alexander, Hermione hummed a soft tune under her breath. She had managed to experiment with her Allure a little since her last lesson and learnt that she could manipulate it from just a normal 'You'll do whatever I want' kind of Allure to a 'It'll make me really happy if you calmed down' kind of Allure - very handy for when she had to deal with a crying baby.

From the way that Fleur was staring at her, Hermione gathered that her girlfriend was impressed as she bounced baby Alex on her hip and hummed softly until he stopped crying, one hand still holding her finger while the other moved to pat his sister on the cheek.

"Hello family!" Hayley trilled as she entered the room, slamming the front door shut behind her. She swooped into the room, dumping her bags and jacket as she took Alexander from Hermione - giving him soft kisses on his chubby cheeks as she pulled Hermione into a tight, side-hug. She hadn't even seemed to notice the person sitting in their living room. "Where's your father?"

"Kitchen," Hermione replied as baby Alex finally relinquished his hold on her finger.

"Good," Hayley nodded, turning around and freezing entirely.

Fleur gave her an awkward little wave.

"Hermione," Hayley said slowly, eyeing up the blonde girl on her sofa suspiciously," Who is this?"

"Er..." Hermione bit the inside of her cheek as she crossed the room before grabbing Fleur's hand and pulling her to her feet," Hayley, meet my girlfriend - Fleur."

* * *

After all of the excitement of the day, Hermione was more than content to curl up in bed and possibly sleep for several days - which had been her plan ever since she got home, with little breaks for food and going to the toilet. It had not been her plan to be pressed into her bed with the Crown Princess of France's lips on her neck, sucking and nipping lightly. Hermione supressed a small moan of pleasure as her hand tightened in Fleur's hair - who just smirked and continued to suck on Hermione's pulse point.

"Fleur," Hermione said, making sure to keep her voice low," My dad and Hayley are asleep next door."

Fleur moved upwards, hands on Hermione's hips and face so close that they were sharing air. "Then you will 'ave to be quiet, will you not?"

"I hate you," Hermione groaned out as Fleur nipped at her jawline.

A smile graced the Veela's lips. "You 'urt me with your 'arsh words," She said softly before sitting up," Do you want me to stop?"

Hermione narrowed her eyes and grabbed Fleur by the back of the neck, slamming their lips together. She felt Fleur smirk into the kiss.

"No," Hermione's breaths were laboured as they pulled away and even in the darkness of her bedroom, she could see Fleur's eyes darken. Thrall lapped at her skin but the little bird didn't appear as Fleur pulled her in for another kiss. "I don't want you to stop."


	27. Chapter 27

_**Princess Fleur In Love?** _

_You heard it here first folks._

_Rumour has it that Crown Princess Fleur I. Delacour has a new  
girlfriend. For those of you that don't know, Princess Fleur is the   
first out and proud Lesbian princess in the wizarding world and,  
the rumours say that she's gotten herself a new girlfriend._

_As you can see from the pictures, Princess Fleur (right) is seen  
boarding the Delacour family's private jet and we have it on good  
authority that the plane landed in England. Many have theorised  
what this could mean. International relations? A simple holiday?_

_No._

_Lady Karine Chevrolet has confided in us that the Princess is rarely  
seen out of the company of her roommate, the  
Muggleborn transfer student from the British school of Hogwarts - who  
she is rumoured to have visited during the Easter Break.  
Lady Chevrolet states that,' they are always together and are  
often seen sneaking off with each other._

_Upon asking the royal family about this topic,  
we received many responses._

_From Prince Harry J. Delacour-Potter we were told,' Hermione  
is a dear friend of mine and we enjoy talking about our time  
in England together. She and my sister have a close bond  
and enjoy spending time with each other.'_

_From the Prince Consort Armond L. Delacour, he said, 'Hermione  
has not only spent time with Fleur but with the rest of the family as well.  
She and Harry like to compare their experiences in England after finding  
out they share an uncle while Gabrielle enjoyed playing games with her.  
I am glad that she has come into our lives.'_

_Surprisingly, we also got a response from Princess Clara M. Delacour,  
cousin to Princess Fleur and soon to be married. She told us,' Hermione  
is a wonderful girl that can easily hold her own in a battle of wits against  
somebody like me. She challenges my dear cousin and makes her better. I  
will very much enjoy seeing her again, hopefully at my own wedding.'_

_And, of course, from the Queen herself. Queen Apolline C. Delacour  
made a statement saying,' Hermione is a lovely girl  
who I have had the honour of meeting multiple times.  
Fleur enjoys her company and I wish only the best for them in  
their future endeavours.'_

_So, folks, what do we think?  
Is this relationship just a close friendship or is Princess Fleur Delacour  
dating her?_

_Written By, R. Skeeter_

Hermione rolled her eyes at her friends - who were dramatically pointing at the newspaper.

She had only been back at school for four days and this was the first time that the pair had managed to get her alone in the Communal Area.

"How?!" Ron demanded, eyes wide as he slid into the seat next to Hermione - his mouth gaping open slightly.

Hermione raised a brow as she toyed with her necklace. It had begun to be a newfound habit to her - to fiddle with it when she got a bit nervous. Her arrow refused to budge from its place pointing at her and, for once, Hermione didn't pay that any mind. On her lap, was an open book that she had gotten from her Gringotts Vault. Written in Siren and pleasantly surprised that she could read it with no problem (Hermione assumed that the understanding of the Siren language was hereditary like Parseltongue), she had dived headfirst into what she assumed was the Siren version of the Veela's Clan Chronicles.

"How what?" Hermione asked, flipping the page. She had only gotten through the first few years - which gave the mythological reason that Siren's existed while also laying down the foundations for Siren society. Apparently, the Siren leaders were elected from three families - one that represented the air that they breathed, one that represented the water they swam in and one that represented the land that they lived on. Those three leader worked under the watchful eyes of the Choir ruler.

"How did you manage to get the whole royal family on your side?!" Ron said," You even got Princess Clara on your side! She's notorious for hating everybody!"

Hermione just shrugged. "Clara?" She echoed," She's pretty cool - very engaging in conversation."

Ron's mouth dropped open and Ginny was left to explain to their friend. "Wow," She said," You're on a first name basis? They must really like you."

"Is this some kind of aristocrat thing that I don't understand?" Hermione deadpanned.

Ginny nodded. "Basically," She said," If you're given permission to use somebody's real name - without titles - then...well, it means you're basically in their 'inner circle' now - like, they trust you and your friends."

"Hypothetically speaking," Hermione said," If say...the Queen gave you permission to call her by her name...what would that mean exactly?"

Ron's eyes got comically wider and Ginny's mouth fell open. "Well," She said, voice a bit higher than usual," Hypothetically speaking...I guess that it means Her Majesty would respect you and, if you were hypothetically dating her daughter then...then that would say that she supports your relationship. This is all hypothetical, right?"

"Oh, of course," Hermione lied, eyes trained on the page in front of her," Completely hypothetical and has no basis in the truth whatsoever."

"What 'as no basis in the truth whatsoever?"

Ginny and Ron both froze in horror, turning to the doorway to watch as Fleur waltzed in. The Veela walked across the room without a care in the world as she sat herself on the arm of Hermione's chair.

"Nothing," Ginny and Ron chimed together - eyes wide as they watched Fleur shrug delicately before she moved to hug Hermione tightly, who moved around a bit in her arms so she could still read her book.

"Is it that late already?" Hermione asked, turning a page in her book and making no move to get up.

Fleur nodded before holding out her hand. Ron narrowed his eyes as he stared at them before he whispered to his sister," I've never seen Fleur's nails so short. Why d'you reckon she cut them?"

Ginny gave him an exasperated look as she watched Hermione take Fleur's hand, bid them goodnight, before leaving to head back to her dorm. Ginny patted her brother on the shoulder. "Ron," She said," It's best I don't tell you - or your tiny mind will explode."

* * *

Fleur woke up slowly the next day. A dopey smile appeared on her face when she noticed Hermione sleeping in front of her - taking small breaths as she moved around slightly in her sleep. It was a rare thing for Fleur to wake up before her girlfriend. She glanced to the window as she stifled a yawn. The sunlight was just beginning to peak out through the curtains and Fleur burrowed herself deeper into her warm blankets - arms tightening around Hermione's waist as she rested her head on her girlfriend's shoulder.

A swell of pride went through her when she noticed the marks that she had left on Hermione's neck - not that the girl had been complaining when they were put there, although, Fleur knew that Hermione was going to complain as soon as she noticed them in the mirror that morning. Fleur sighed and stretched slightly. She was hardly in a rush to get up and Hermione was so warm that she resolved to stay in bed for a little while longer. They had nowhere to be today anyway so its not like a few more minutes in bed was harming anybody.

Hermione made one of her cute sleepy noises that Fleur adored as she moved to press a soft kiss to her girlfriend's head. Hermione made another noise and moved around, pressing her back more fully into Fleur's front before she stopped moving a small, breathy sigh escaped her. Fleur smiled as she ran a hand through Hermione's hair, carefully untangling the knots that had formed as the pair of them slept.

Blindly reaching behind her, she grabbed a few hairbands from where they rested on the bedside table and separated parts of Hermione's hair from the parts that she had yet to untangle. It was tedious work (Hermione had a lot of hair) but Fleur knew that it would earn her a few kisses when Hermione woke up. She had learnt that playing with Hermione's hair was a good way to keep the girl calm. In fact, whenever Hermione had a test coming up, Fleur always took the time to help her girlfriend with her curly hair to make sure that it didn't add to her stresses.

Hermione made another noise and Fleur froze completely before her girlfriend made a content hum - a few golden strands of errant Allure moving outwards - and ceased her noise once again. Fleur chuckled lightly as the fingers wove through her girlfriend's hair. Hermione moved back slightly in her sleep, pressing back against the Veela and seeking more contact with her. 

Fleur smiled softly at what was in her hand when she withdrew it.

" 'Ermione," Fleur said softly, shaking awake her girlfriend," Wake up. I 'ave something to show you."

Hermione blinked into consciousness, yawning as she lazily turned around in Fleur's arms. "What is it?" Her voice was slightly hoarse - although Fleur couldn't tell whether it was from sleep or from the overuse of last night.

Fleur just smiled and passed her the silver feather in her fingers.

"It is one of yours."

* * *

Fleur pouted petulantly with her arms crossed over her chest as she looked opposite her to find Hermione with her head in a book. Her girlfriend had refused to allow them to study in their room together - stating that they always got too distracted and ended up kissing instead. Frankly, Fleur didn't see what the problem with that was but, against her wishes, she allowed herself to be pulled out of their nice, warm bedroom - complete with a nest of blankets that made it incredibly easy to get distracted with other activities - and into the Sixth Year Communal Area.

It wasn't somewhere that Fleur enjoyed going to and the only reason that she ever stepped foot in there was to find her girlfriend. She had never once actually studied there. Glancing around the room, Fleur knew why that was. For one, there were just too many curious people. Maybe she had brought that on herself for not being seen in the room before but, as Fleur's eyes roamed the room again, her lip pulled up in an ugly sneer.

It didn't seem to matter that these people had been going to school with her for most of the year. All they did was stare at her and Fleur could not concentrate on what she was doing - namely watching the cute faces that Hermione made as she studied but that was besides the point. Her own textbooks lay abandoned in front of her as she allowed a small smile to show on her face. It dropped from her face completely though when Hermione's friends appeared and sat down next to her.

Fleur huffed under her breath. As well as being banned from studying in their room together, she had also been banned from sitting next to her girlfriend when they were studying as well - something about Hermione not trusting her to not start another make out session. As enticing at that sounded, Fleur had something else on her mind - something that she wasn't sure whether or not she should ask in earshot of everybody else in the room.

But, alas, she had never been known for her thought out plans and her good timing so, Fleur threw caution to the wind - an odd Muggle phrase that she had learnt from her girlfriend - and plucked up the courage to ask.

"So," She said," Clara's wedding is soon." 

She hated how the whole room seemed to still when she spoke. Honestly, Fleur huffed inwardly, It was almost like the whole school - minus her own beautiful girlfriend, of course - wasn't already aristocracy. Granted, Fleur was a bit more important that the usual breed of aristocrat but she didn't see why that caused everybody to stop doing what they were meant to be doing. Even Hermione's friends - Lady Ginevra and Lord Ronald - froze as well.

"Okay?" Hermione said, her tone showing she was mildly intrigued even though her eyes didn't stray from the page in front of her," I was aware of that, Fleur, but thanks. I assumed that you have a reason for bringing it up?"

A ripple of horror passed through the room and Fleur supressed her smile - it was clear that the rest of their peers had hardly paid attention to the way that Hermione talked to her with blatant disregard of her status.

"I would like you to come with me," Fleur said.

"Is that a question or a statement?" Hermione asked, flipping the page in her book.

Fleur cleared her throat. " _Ma petite sirène,_ " She said," Would you me the honour of being my date to Clara's wedding?"

Hermione didn't respond for a moment, just absentmindedly reading her book before she turned another page. "I don't know," She said, a teasing glint in her eyes as she turned to Ginny," Gin, what do you think?"

"Huh?" Ginny said," About...About what?"

"Should I go to Clara's wedding with Fleur?"

Ginny gaped for a moment, glancing between her friend and the princess - who was staring straight at Hermione with pleading eyes. "Er..." Ginny's eyes flickered over to her brother for help. Ron just looked as shocked as Ginny felt and offered no help whatsoever. "I don't think it's my place to say?" Ginny finally offered up.

It seemed that her answer needn't mattered because neither girl paid any attention to it as they continued to hold each other's gaze.

Hermione just sighed before she allowed a smile to quirk her lips upwards. "Yes," She said," I would love to attend Clara's wedding with you."


	28. Chapter 28

Hermione didn't know how her life had come to this.

Just last year, she was living in the Highlands of Scotland - dodging the dangers of the Forbidden Forest as she mucked around with her friends. Just last year, she was struggling with her ever growing crush on her best friend as she continually showed up Draco Malfoy in any class that they shared. Now though, Hermione sat on one of the front rows of...Well, it wasn't exactly a chapel but it seemed to be the Veela equivalent. 

Chairs were lined up outside in a rolling field with all kinds of flowers sprouting on the ground. Underneath a willow tree and before a great lake (which Hermione was just itching it swim in - funny that she had only just started to gain those urges after she had gained her tail), stood Clara and her soon-to-be husband. One of the Council members stood in front of them, talking about the bonding and the sacred vows and what not.

Hermione could have never have predicted that this was how her life would end up.

She didn't dare look behind her when she heard the snapping of cameras. Wards had been set up around the clearing so the media couldn't get in but it didn't stop them from waiting at the boundary and taking pictures there. Hermione rolled her eyes at the sound of the cameras taking pictures. She didn't blame them - both the bride and groom looked stunning in their outfits. Of course, as she glanced around, everybody else looked amazing as well.

Harry seemed to be slightly uncomfortable in his suit with his slicked back hair but still looked like the epitome of elegance. Next to him, swinging her legs as she watched the ceremony impatiently, was Gabrielle. She was dressed in a cream dress with a large bow on the back of it. Vaguely, Hermione was reminded of the Muggle dolls that Lavender used to play with when they were kids. She wondered how long it would take Gabrielle to mess up this dress.

Fleur, who was also fidgeting in her seat just like her little sister, was dressed in a stunning blue dress that she had spent all day complaining about. The pair of them had found their dresses hanging up in their shared wardrobe once they had woken up. Hermione theorised that one of the house elves must have brought them up while they were sleeping. Fleur, having seen the dress hanging there, had pouted and huffed and crossed her arms over her chest like a petulant child.

When Hermione had asked her what the problem was, Fleur had immediately launched into a tirade about how much she hated that particular shade of blue and how she had already worn that dress this year. Hermione had rolled her eyes, chided Fleur lightly for being a big baby before grabbing her own dress. She hadn't recognised the style but she had recognised the odd sheen of restoration spells as well as something for water damage. She had eyed it warily before vowing to go to her new vault to inspect its contents.

Fleur fidgeted in her seat again. She threw a cursory glance at her mother - who was looking forward as Clara and her groom began to recite their vows - before she shuffled a little closer to Hermione. Her girlfriend rolled her eyes but made no move to call her out on it. Fleur was a clingy person and Hermione found that she didn't mind that at all as the Veela threw another glance at her parents (who were both still watching the ceremony intently) and moved closer again. 

Harry - who had seen this - smothered his laughter behind a well timed cough as he nudged Gabrielle, who shot him an annoyed look. Rolling his eyes, he nudged her again before discreetly jerking his head to where Fleur had rested her hand on Hermione's thigh - who was putting up a good front of pretending not to notice as Fleur's hand crept onto her lap and laced their fingers tightly together. Gabrielle grinned as she looked at them before glancing back at Harry - who was beaming as well.

She had the urge to tease the both of them but knew that if her Maman found out then she would get in trouble and the last time that Gabrielle got into trouble, she had been allowed desert after dinner for two days. It had been a horrible experience that she didn't want to repeat in her entire existence so, Gabrielle Delacour stayed silent as her older sister and her girlfriend were being all mushy and gross together.

She wrinkled her nose up in horror as Fleur leaned closer to Hermione - lips ghosting over the shell of her ear before she drew back to study the red face of her girlfriend. Gabrielle could hardly believe what she was seeing. Her sister had never been so...disgustingly in love before. She knew that she was supposed to be watching her cousin getting married but she could hardly tear her eyes away from the scene that was happening right next to her. 

Fleur leaned to the side again, a smug smile tugging at her lips as she did so. Her silver bird finally puffed to life and it made Gabrielle glance briefly at her lap, where her own silver puppy had curled up before she turned back to Fleur's bird - who had happily sat itself on her girlfriend's shoulder. Next to her, Hermione was staring at her lap, her face was a pretty shade of red as Gabrielle watched in disgust as her sister used two fingers to lift her girlfriend's chin before she pressed a soft, quick kiss to Hermione's waiting lips.

Gabrielle made a disgusted face at that, eyes flicking back to the altar where she saw Clara and her new husband snogging the life out of each other.

* * *

The reception was as glamorous as Hermione had imagined it would be. The chairs had been cleared away with a flick of a wand and the food had been brought out momentarily. Of course, speeches had been made as well but they were finished quickly and soon the dancing began. Hermione felt a little bad for the members of the media that were outside of the area because, in all honestly, it must have been extremely boring to just watch the festivities when they couldn't even see what was going on. It was made even worse, Hermione supposed, that the Summer heat had really kicked in and many of the reporters were wearing clothes that were, undoubtedly, laced with warming charms.

Hermione was sat quite happily at one of the tables. Apolline was across the meadow, talking with Clara and her husband. Mr Delacour was standing amongst some of the non-Veela present, talking animatedly to one of the other men - who looked slightly awe-struck to be talking to the husband of the Queen. Harry was twirling Sylvie on the dancefloor happily. Gabrielle was sat next to Hermione - under strict orders of her parents not to leave the table without them.

Annoyed at that, she had taken to poking Hermione in the side.

 _"Yes, Gabrielle?"_ For as good as Gabrielle's understanding of English was, she still struggled to speak it so Hermione took pity on her.

 _"You and Fleur are gross,"_ The little Veela complained as her silver puppy yapped at their feet," _Very gross."_

Hermione just let out a little laugh before she moved to lightly ruffle Gabrielle's hair. " _I'm sure that we are."_

 _"We are not!"_ Fleur's impatient voice said from behind them. She had been roped into joining her mother in talking to the bride and groom and it seemed like she had only just managed to get away from them. 

" _Yes you are!"_ Gabrielle argued back, nose wrinkled," _You two kiss all of the time! It is disgusting!"_

 _"It's love,"_ Fleur hissed back," _You wouldn't understand."_ She then offered her hand to Hermione. _"So, if you wouldn't mind Gaby, I am going to dance with my girlfriend and we are going to kiss and be disgusting on the dancefloor."_

Gabrielle made another face as Hermione was dragged away from the table. Fleur guided her through the crowd of people (apparently Veela really enjoyed weddings) and they took up their positions in the middle of the crowd. It managed to keep them out of the eyeline of Harry and Sylvie - who both gave them a pointed look that Hermione interpreted to mean 'if you two start making out then we might hex you' - as well as Apolline, who had been glancing at the pair of them every so often ever since Fleur had returned to the table.

"We tend to do this a lot," Hermione commented as one of Fleur's hands found her waist.

"Do what?" Fleur asked, head tilted to the side in confusion as her bird soared above head.

"Dance together," Hermione replied softly.

Fleur made a soft hum in acknowledgement as she smiled. "I like dancing with you," She said.

"I like dancing with you too."

Fleur's smile only got bigger as she twirled her girlfriend.

Dancing with Fleur was as easy as breathing, Hermione realised as she was twirled again - easier than breathing, in fact. Years of learning royal etiquette and decorum made Fleur the perfect partner. Even as she explained in hushed tones about how Clara's new husband could hardly dance properly, let alone carry a pleasant conversation, Fleur didn't falter in any of her steps. Hermione could hardly keep her smile back as she looked up at her girlfriend - the golden glow of the dying sun behind her giving Fleur a slight halo that Hermione adored.

Even if her feet were aching after dancing for so long, Hermione couldn't help but beam as Fleur pulled her back to their table to get some refreshments.

"Will your wedding be next, Fleur?" Apolline asked with a soft smile as they approached.

Fleur could barely splutter out a response and Hermione blushed bright red.


	29. Chapter 29

"I 'ate that you learnt to do that," Fleur huffed as she sat at the edge of the lake, arms crossed over her chest.

Hermione just laughed, lazily swimming closer until she was resting her head in Fleur's lap while still having her bottom half submerged in the water. "No you don't," Hermione teased," You're just pissy that I prefer my tail to my wings."

Fleur pouted. "I am not, as you say, 'pissy' and I do not understand why you prefer your tail to your wings. I like your wings."

"You only like them because they shredded my shirt."

Fleur went a little red at the memory before she nodded, a sly smile playing on her lips. It was one of her favourite memories now - and she was sure that she could cast a Patronus using it. Of course, just like with Hermione's tail, Fleur had been the one to help initiate the transformation. She took great pleasure in telling that to everyone when they asked how it happened.

It had been a Sunday night and Hermione had been very stressed over something and was five seconds away from a complete anxiety attack over it. She remembered that she had crossed the room and straddled her girlfriend's lap. Fleur remembered that she had drawn Hermione into a tight hug and whispered soothing words in her ears - in both a mixture of French and her lightly accented English. Fleur remembered that Hermione had slumped her head onto her shoulder just as Fleur had woven her hands through Hermione's hair. She remembered seeing the soft silver feathers appear at Hermione's hairline before she heard the almighty ripping sound that had both girls jolting in shock.

Silver wings had sprouted from Hermione's shoulder blades - glowing slightly and flaring outwards before they had tucked themselves back to a stationary position. Fleur had taken the time to study them in great detail as Hermione worried over how she was meant to get them to disappear.

They were different from the Veela wings that Fleur had grown up with. Veela wings were meant for flight and were muscular to make sure that flying was possible. Hermione's wings however, reminded Fleur of the tales that Muggles told of angels. They weren't built for flight but they were made to be intimidating. They flared out at that slightest shift in Hermione's posture before relaxing again. They were beautiful and Fleur had reached out to tentatively stroke the feathers and had delighted in the soft purr that had escaped Hermione's throat - both to Hermione and her own shock.

"Come on and get out," She said softly as she returned from the memory with a happy smile on her face," And take a shower - you smell like lake water."

"You only want me to shower so you can join me," Hermione laughed as she pulled herself out of the water and closed her eyes. It had taken her a while to learn the best technique for a shift back but, as always, she approached the problem with the same precision and preparation as she did everything else. Her tail flickered like a distorted image a few times before her legs appeared again.

Fleur's lips curved upwards into a smirk when Hermione turned to face her. "But of course."

* * *

"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed suddenly as he had to dodge the patch of mud that she had pushed him into. "That's unfair!"

Hermione just laughed as she retreated back to the wall that Ginny was leaning against, snickering at her brother's misfortune.

"You said that you wouldn't get hit," She said as she sheathed her wand," What happened to 'I'm a master at dodging jinxes'."

Ron just huffed in annoyance as he returned to them. He snatched up his bags before he childishly stuck his tongue. "No sweets for either of you," He huffed before walking out of the alley.

"Hey!" Ginny complained," That's no fair!" She ran to catch up with her brother with Hermione trailing behind as she laughed. "Hermione was the one that jinxed you!"

Ron rolled his eyes, pulling his bags away from his sister when she tried to make a grab for them. "You helped," He said, walking away even quicker," You encouraged her to jinx me." The small smile on his face clued Hermione in to the fact that they were both being teased. Hermione had noticed it instantly but, apparently, Ginny had not. She huffed and puffed as she tried to grab the bags again.

The three of them had gone down to Domme the moment that breakfast was over. Fleur had sulked about Hermione going with them but a less than chaste kiss had her falling out of her sudden bad mood and going back to their room to at least attempt to study. Hermione had rolled her eyes at how overdramatic her girlfriend was before she had followed her friends to the village.

At first Ginny had dragged them into the nearby Quidditch shop where she spent nearly two hours looking at Chaser gloves. Hermione had then dragged them into a nearby bookstore. Both of her friends had lingered outside while Hermione grabbed a few a books and, in only half an hour, she was out again - a new record. After that, they had all gone to the café from a few months ago and Hermione (with her newfound wealth) had bought them all some food and drink.

There last stop of the day had been the sweet shop where Ron had spent his entire monthly allowance - and nearly left the shop with nothing to sell.

"RON!" Ginny groaned as a chocolate frog went soaring over her head and into Hermione's waiting hands. "Why does she get one and I don't?!"

Ron rolled his eyes. "Well," He said as he took a bite of his own chocolate frog," For one, Hermione's dating the princess. And for two?" He shrugged. "She's cool."

Ginny's mouth fell open. "She jinxed you!"

Hermione shrugged. "He shouldn't have made a challenge like that and not expect me to check if he could back up those claims."

"See!" Ron said," At least Hermione has reasons! You just want to see me suffer!"

"Of course I do!" Ginny laughed - finally catching on to the fact that was being teased," I'm your sister! Of course I want my brother to suffer!"

"Exactly!" Ron exclaimed, snapping his fingers," That's why you don't deserve any chocolate frogs!"

* * *

When Hermione stumbled back into her room five minutes before curfew, she expected her girlfriend to be in bed. The end of year exams were only a few weeks away now and Fleur had been going to bed earlier and earlier so she could be well rested when they began. Of course, all of this sleeping was done on her bed and decidedly not at her desk. Fleur was using one of her textbooks as a pillow and Hermione's brow furrowed in confusion as she dumped her bag onto her own bed - not that she used it much apart from storage space now that she knew Fleur was cuddler.

"Fleur?" Hermione said softly, shaking her girlfriend by the shoulder," Hey? Are you awake?"

Fleur hummed softly as she blearily opened her eyes. She blinked a few times before a dopey smile appeared on her face. "What time is it?" She slurred slightly in her tiredness.

"Late," Hermione said simply," Come on, let's get you to bed."

Fleur just nodded softly and Hermione stifled her laughter at her girlfriend's attempts to get up. Her head rolled to the side as she sat up and she started to doze off again. In an odd lack of clarity, Fleur's Thrall sparked to life and her girlfriend got to watch as her bird - completely asleep - fell off of Fleur's shoulder and tumbled to the ground before disappearing before it hit the floor. Hermione supressed her laughter as she shook Fleur awake again. 

Fleur groaned softly as Hermione helped her to stand, arms wrapped around her waist as she guided her from her desk to her bed.

As soon as she was tucked into bed, her arms lashed out and tugged Hermione down onto the bed by her middle - tightening her grip ever so slightly. Hermione just rolled her eyes and lightly pushed on her girlfriend's shoulder. "Fleur," She said softly, moving so she could brush strands of blonde hair out of the Veela's face," Come on, you need to let me get up. I need to get changed."

Fleur made a noise that sounded like an objection but Hermione managed to wiggle out of her grip quick enough to change into a clean set of pyjamas before returning to Fleur's arms. The Veela smiled softly - still in a half-sleeping/half-awake state - as she wrapped her arms tightly around Hermione's waist and tucked her face into her girlfriend's neck. Sleepy kisses were placed there as Fleur burrowed deeper, eyes closed.

"I love you," She murmured softly as she moved slightly in bed so she could get more comfortable.

Hermione, however, froze completely. Her mouth fell open slightly and she felt heat rise on her face.

"I-" She said before smiling slightly," I love you too."


	30. Chapter 30

"Come on Fleur," Hermione said as she balled up a piece of parchment and threw it across the room. It hit Fleur on the head, who whirled around and narrowed her eyes at Hermione while crossing her arms over her chest. "You need to study."

"I need to sleep," Fleur replied, flicking her hair off of her shoulder," I can not do well in the end of year exams if I do not sleep."

"You can't do well in the end of year exams if you don't study," Hermione deadpanned, already reaching for another ball of parchment.

"I do not like studying," Fleur said primly, eyeing the parchment in her girlfriend's hand warily.

"Fleur," Hermione said with a hint of smile," You don't like a lot of things."

Fleur huffed before sliding out of bed. She walked across the room and stood in front of where Hermione was sitting at her desk. She snapped her fingers and Hermione raised an unimpressed eyebrow. Fleur flushed slightly before clearing her throat. "Please, can you get up?" She said.

Hermione rolled her eyes but did as she was asked. Fleur took her seat and then pulled her into her lap - arms wrapped tightly around Hermione's middle as she rested her head on her girlfriend's shoulder. "I do not like studying," Fleur said again with a groan," I do not 'ave the patience for it."

Hermione shook her head in exasperation as she tapped Fleur's thigh. "Why don't you do a reward system?" She asked.

"A what?" Fleur said. Her lips roamed over Hermione's neck and instantly, she knew what the Veela was trying to do.

"Don't try and distract me," She warned, eyes alight with amusement before she smiled," A reward system - have you ever tried one before?"

"I do not even know what it is."

"It's..." Hermione thought for a moment," Like...when you do a certain number of questions or get a question right or something and you give yourself a treat because of it." She shrugged. "I do it all the time."

Fleur grumbled under her breath but reached for one of the Potion textbooks. While these exams might not have been the NEWTs (those were next year), Fleur knew that she still needed to study. It was her aim to beat her father's test scores when he had attended Beauxbatons so, as she passed the textbook over to Hermione, Fleur knew that if she put in effort now then it would be easy in Seventh Year.

"What do I get as my reward?" She asked, a soft smile playing on her lips.

Hermione shrugged. "What do you want?"

Fleur, in answer, puckered her lips.

Hermione sighed before rolling her eyes. "Of course that's what you want," She muttered before raising her voice," Right then, list the ingredients needed to make Felix Felicis."

* * *

While not as intensive as the OWL exams were, Hermione certainly found her NEWT practice mocks to be very difficult and, as she stumbled out of the transfiguration exam, she wanted nothing more than to just fall asleep for twenty years. She yawned as she shuffled through the corridors. Her last exam had been two and a half hours and her hand was cramping painfully. The only upside to it all was that she was one of the first people to finish her exams. Ginny still had Care of Magical Creatures to do while Ron had both History of Magic and Charms. Fleur, on the other hand, only had one last exam - which she was currently taking.

Hermione dumped her bag on her desk chair before falling face first onto her bed in relief. On the floor next to her bed, was her packed suitcase. There were only three days left of the school year and Hermione had no more classes to attend. Curling up on her bed and sleeping away those three days, seemed to be the only suitable way to spend that time. She yawned again as she stretched.

She moved off of the bed to grab her phone from where it was charging on the bedside cabinet. She rattled off a few text messages - two from Lavender, asking Hermione about going to a Quidditch match during the holidays, three from Luna asking if she wanted to go hunting for Bubbering Humdingers and one from Hayley asking what Hermione wanted for dinner when she arrived home. Hermione sent off her answers - maybe to the Quidditch match, yes to the Bubbering Humdingers (even though she wasn't sure that they would find any) and takeout for dinner when she got back.

She had just changed into more comfortable clothing and was lying in bed - intent on taking her nap - when Hurricane Fleur flounced in. She looked perfectly put together as she breezed into the room. Her bag went flying onto her desk and she practically ripped her outer robe off. She didn't even bother to hang it back up in the wardrobe as she just threw it haphazardly behind her. She slumped down onto the side of her bed.

"That," She said," Was hell."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well," She replied with a small shrug - recognising the fact that she wouldn't be getting a nap know that Fleur was here," Think about how much worse you would had had it if you hadn't studied."

Fleur just grinned as she crawled up to Hermione and rested her head on her girlfriend's chest. Hermione smiled softly. "Oui," Fleur said," Your kisses are very motivating."

Hermione made a little hum before she stopped herself quickly. While she couldn't control it much, she had learnt how to sense when she was using her Allure so knew when to stop. Watching her, Fleur's brow crinkled slightly. "Why do you always do that?" She asked softly, hand moving to cup one of Hermione's cheeks.

Hermione gave her a look. "Renée said-"

Fleur rolled her eyes. "Renée is not 'ere," She pointed out as she propelled herself forward to press a kiss to her girlfriend's lips," Please? For me? You can see the Thrall - I would like to see the Allure."

Hermione grimaced slightly before looking at Fleur's pleading eyes. She dipped her head down for another kiss and smiled. "If anybody bursts in because of this," She said, eyes alight in playful annoyance," Then you're going to be the one to deal with it."

Hermione watched as the Veela nodded before she began to hum a quiet tune.

Fleur watched in awe as her girlfriend glowed gold.

* * *

Sitting in an airport with the Crown Princess of France holding her hand, was not the way that Hermione had envisioned her first year at Beauxbatons to end, but as she leant her head on Fleur's shoulder, Hermione found that she didn't mind. The last day of term had been two days ago but she had stayed at the palace in Nice until the day of her flight home. She had quipped that she could just swim home but Fleur had swatted her with a rolled up newspaper and told her that under no circumstances would she be allowing her girlfriend to do so.

Hermione sighed softly, a smile on her face. She could do without the team of Aurors that surrounded them but, all in all, she was quite content to lean on Fleur's shoulder - so content, in fact, that she could feel a few soft, downy feathers sprouting out her hairline. She plucked them out carefully before any Muggles saw.

"You will call me, oui?" Fleur said softly, a frown on her face and a pout on her lips.

"Fleur," Hermione said fondly," We're only going to be separated for three weeks."

"I know," Fleur huffed.

"It's just three weeks," Hermione pointed out softly, pressing a soft kiss to Fleur's cheeks," Then you have me all to yourself until we go back to school - which, can I point out, you'll still have me all to yourself at. We share a room."

Fleur pouted again and grumbled under her breath," But I will not 'ave you all to myself during our trip - we will be with all of the other Veela."

Hermione rolled her eyes. Fleur was still sour that Apolline had ordered a group of Veela to accompany the pair on their trip of Naxos during the Summer holidays. Hermione had wanted to go to research any remnants of Siren culture that was left behind along with going to see her grandparents while Fleur had wanted to tag along so they could spend time together without anybody else interrupting. Of course, Apolline had been adamant about not letting Fleur go off without somebody else to watch over her - lest she ruin yet another international alliance.

"I will miss you too much if you go now," Fleur said - a soft whine in her voice," Are you sure that I can not come and visit you?"

"Do you promise not to show up at my house again without warning?" Hermione asked as Fleur cradled her face softly.

"I will give you an hour warning," Fleur said with a smile on her face as she dipped down to give Hermione yet another kiss. It had been all she had seemed to be doing since the pair of them had woken up that morning.

"A week," Hermione said," You forget that I still need to clear it with my Dad."

Fleur wrinkled up her nose in disgust. "Two hours," She replied.

"Four days," Hermione retorted," You know, for a princess, you don't seem to understand that you can't just turn up at somebody's house with only a few hours of warning."

"One day," Fleur compromised," Take it or leave it."

Hermione sighed, eyes narrowed in suspicion before she nodded. "Fine," She said," But I want a proper warning - not one of your crappy texts."

Fleur pouted but nodded. She swooped in for another kiss before groaning loudly when she heard Hermione's flight being called. When booking it, Fleur - in all of her high-maintenance glory - refused to let Hermione fly in anything less than first class. It had sparked an argument between the pair that had wands drawn and several heated kisses before Fleur had pulled out her trump card - namely 'if my girlfriend doesn't want to fly first class then you'll have to use the private jet'. Hermione had backed down after that but had insisted that she pay half with the newfound wealth she had in her Gringotts Vault. Fleur had pouted at that but agreed - because it was the only way that she would get her way.

"See you in a few weeks?" Hermione offered as she was pulled into one last, lingering kiss.

Fleur nodded as they broke apart - thumb running over Hermione's bottom lip. "I love you," She whispered.

"I love you too," Hermione replied.


End file.
